Five Elements The American Mews
by Wolf General
Summary: AU storyline that occurs during the events of the aliens' first attacks. Walt's disappearance has Mew Terra worried, but when she finds out why he has disappeared she might just lose it.
1. Genetic Theft

Disclaimer: Naw, I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew or anything about its universe. I'm just using the planet its all happening on.

To the audience: It has been, to my experience, best to use a world but not its characters. For now, this story will rotate around the events occurring in America involving an 'interesting' group of people who wish to change the world for the better. Perhaps later I will involve Ichigo and the others of Tokyo Mew Mew, though for now I doubt I could do them justice through my writing. Anyway, enough of my babbling, let's begin, ne?

Five Elements; The American Mew Mews

Chapter 1: Genetic Theft

A deep sigh escaped his lips as he stared at the computer screen. "So…let me get this straight…"

The person sitting on a nearby couch had their head down. "…I…I feel asleep while I was supposed to be watching the samples…"

"And therefore…what happened?" The rough male voice slowly burned with more and more anger at each passing word.

"Someone snuck in…and…stole a whole case of the rarest samples of the serum we had…" The person on the couch seemed to sink deeper and deeper into the cushions with every word they spoke.

"Right…" The man sitting in front of the computer screen stood up and turned around to bring his burning glare down onto his assistant. "This is a disaster that we cannot tell our contributors about, or else they may cut our funding."

"Then what do you propose instead? We can't let those vials simply escape…they're too dangerous!" The person on the couch leapt up, acting as if they were about to leave.

"Hold it!" The man slammed his hand down onto the desk. "I know you're responsible for this, and hence I won't stop you from leaving to go and find the culprit. But without the proper tracking gear you'll be walking blind. I'll get you a search kit that should be able to detect the genetic mixtures easier."

"Yes sir! I won't fail!" The person saluted.

"I would hope not. As you know, those mixtures of rare animal genetics are dangerous in the wrong or right hands. The stolen case also had special injection guns for the mixtures…if you aren't quick, we'll wind up with a group of humans turned into animals." The man intertwined his fingers. "That would be difficult to explain to our contributors in and of itself…because that means we involved innocent bystanders."

"That would be a problem…but there's a bigger problem, isn't there?" The person stepped into the cone of light that came from the screen, revealing themselves to be a woman. "What if someone gets injected by accident and they wind up being even partially compatible with the mixture?"

"Then we're in trouble. If it comes to that, contact me immediately and we'll send in a team to capture them."

"Yes sir."

------------------

"Another night, another series of ass-kickings, huh?" One of the street punks stationed in front of the warehouse chuckled and nudged another of the lookouts in the ribs. "So, who do you bet on winning in the big fight for the evening?"

"Hmmm…it's supposed to be Bruce or Roger, right?" Running a hand through his purple spiked hair, the other boy chuckled to try and ward off the approaching winter chill. "It's incredible how dangerous those two are, considering they're about two years younger than everybody else in the fighting circuit."

"I'd say that Bruce would win though, because he's a year older, right?"

"Who knows…now shut up and keep an eye out for the cops. We don't want them spoiling our fun."

-------------------

For the last few months, local street gangs had decided to use the warehouse district of town as the perfect place to settle their disputes. And even more recent than that, they'd decided that the best way to determine which gang won these fights without there being countless people being killed and injured was to have one on one matches between the best members of each gang.

And this Friday night was no exception at all. In fact, tonight was one of the biggest nights of the month, because it was the first Friday of the month. During the first Friday of each month, the two top gangs (Currently the Blood Tigers and Lone Wolves) would put their best fighters against each other and bets were taken. It was so big that even some people who weren't even part of the gangs would show up just to watch the fight and bet some of their money.

"So, should we get a stretcher ready for Bruce?" Walter Grant, better known as Walt by the members of his gang, the Lone Wolves, patted his little brother on the back. "From the look in your eye I can tell you're ready to pummel your rival's face inwards fifty times over in payback for last month."

Roger Grant brushed a few locks of his curly black hair back and licked his chops like a predator that could smell its prey. "No…I'll beat him so soundly that he'll actually be better off not moved." Ever since he was nine, people had considered him a thug. Considering his oddly goofy hair and his ice-blue eyes, he definitely looked like he was capable of some mischief. Looking down at the tape wrapped around his hands, he clenched his fists a couple of times. "So, what's the countdown to my fight?"

"You've got about half an hour. Maybe you should go out for a walk or something…" Walt smiled wryly and ran his customary black metal comb through his long, straight, black hair. Unlike his younger brother, who had always been considered the muscle of the two, Walt's skills had always resided in his strange mixture of methods in blackmail, extortion, and diplomacy. He could out-wit some of the greatest lawyers in the world when he cared enough to try. "Maybe some of Bruce's buddies will try to jump you."

"Maybe, but it would be their funeral if they did." Walt stood up to his much taller brother. "But yeah, the air will do me some good. It smells like a sweathouse in here." Pinching his nose gently, he turned and walked out of the tiny office that was reserved as a 'locker room' for all of the fighters.

--------------------------

Ellen White pulled her overcoat around her tighter to try and fight off the chill in the air. That and she felt so very vulnerable walking down the back alleys of the warehouse district on her own. ("But I promised the professor that I would recover those samples, and I never go back on my word! Except…I gave him my word that I wouldn't fall asleep, didn't I?") Her hooded head tilted forward and she felt depressed again for the hundredth time today. "My life can never be simple, can it?"

As soon as she had left the lab, the device had activated and she had followed it all the way into and across town, until she finally reached the warehouse district. As soon as she had driven by the seemingly endless lines of buildings, her engine on her pathetically old car had broken down. ("And now I'm traipsing through this dark, damp…") She shivered and changed her train of thought immediately. If there was one thing she hated, it was the dark.

In her gloved hand rested a strange grey box about the size of a television remote control, which had a small screen and some buttons on it. And it kept indicating that the samples were all somewhere in front of her, though the distance on the device was meant for short range, so until she got to within 200 feet of the case there wouldn't be any kind of map to follow.

("Yeah…get a job at the lab, work towards your degree in genetics…") Ellen sniffled, partially out of the fact that her nose was starting to run because of the cold and partially because she wanted to cry at how weird her life had become in just the single month since she had joined up with Professor Excelsior. ("He won't even tell me his full name… 'It's just Excelsior, that's all', my foot….he's just an angry old man who buries himself in his…") A loud beeping brought her attention back to the world outside the overcoat. ("The signal is within locating range…about 198 feet to the northwest.")

As she got closer and closer to it, a feeling of foreboding came over her. It was like she was being watched. ("Oh man…maybe I should just call the Professor and ask for assistance?") Squeezing her eyes shut, Ellen stopped in her tracks and shivered again as the feeling of being watched came over her. ("No! I told him that I could get the case back, and that I'd have it back before anyone else at the lab was any wiser! I gave him my word!")

Turning a corner into a rather spacious alley between two warehouses, Ellen came to a stop as she looked from the screen on the tracker to right in front of her. The case, a large metal suitcase, was just sitting in the open, upright. ("That's…convenient.") From underneath her coat, she grinned and nearly skipped over to the case.

Kneeling, her hands ran over the ice cold steel as she undid the clasps that held it closed. With a hydraulic hiss the container opened to reveal lines upon lines of test tubes, each one properly marked and encased in a thing layer of protective foam. ("It looks like everything is in order. Here's all of…") Her heart stopped as her hand passed by an empty mold of foam. ("One's gone?")

"I see that you've come for it already." A strangely familiar voice echoed from a few feet behind her, about where the entrance to the alley was located.

Ellen gulped and very slowly turned around to face the speaker.

The man wore a white lab coat over his otherwise bare chest, though the damage the material has sustained made it look more like rags than anything else. His khaki pants were torn slightly around the edges, and his glasses were incredibly askew.

Ellen flushed white as she instantly remembered the man in front of her as Professor Excelsior's partner in the labs. "Eric Aizen?"

"That's right, dear Ellen." Eric removed his glasses, folded them shut neatly, and deposited them into his lab coat pocket. "I didn't think that the old fool would just send you alone to retrieve the case, which is a shame because I had so much in store for him if he had come." His fire-red hair mixed with the black of the night sky in a way that made it seem blood-red, and his brown eyes reflected a look that Ellen had only seen in movies before this point. It was a look of someone who believed themselves superior to everyone else…a look of someone drunk with power. "You know why I took them, right?"

Ellen shook her head weakly, feeling very scared now. The Eric Aizen she remembered working with was always one of the sanest men she had ever spoken with. This madman in front of her was nothing of the sort. "Maybe, you were going to sell them…"

He cut her off with an insane burst of laughter. "Sell them? Are you that stupid…that blind?" A dark sneer came across his face. "Don't you understand the power that these mixtures can grant? They can make someone so powerful that nothing human or man-made could stand against them."

"But the genetic structures of most people can't handle the mixtures! It will simply change them into an animal!" Ellen started to pick up the case, which she had closed before she had stood up to confront Eric. If he thought about using them, then it was her top priority to either get them away from him or destroy the case. ("The fate of the world might depend on whether or not I can…")

Eric's right eye widened slightly. "Most people, my dear Ellen." He stripped off the remains of his lab coat and threw it to the side, onto a dumpster. "Then again, I'm not most people, am I?" As he asked her this, his arms and chest seemed to swell upwards slowly, filling his normally slim frame with muscle. "It's too late to stop me, because I've already tested the mixture on myself. And just between you and me…" His ears started to warp and his eyes became slotted and a bizarre yellow-green color. "…the _Varanus Komodoensis_ mixture works just fine." His lips curled back to reveal rapidly sharpening teeth.

Ellen gasped in fear and nearly tripped over herself to run.

---------------------------

Roger sighed and punched another trash can, denting the metal slightly. ("I can't let anything get in my way. When it's time for me to fight with Bruce, I have to beat that punk so hard that he forgets the years we have spent as rivals!") A calm smirk snuck onto his face. There was no reason, in his mind, that would indicate a loss tonight.

Ever since he'd entered the fourth grade, Bruce had always been there to challenge him at everything they did. Even since that time, they would turn everything they could into a competition. The fact that they were both part of rival gangs didn't help either. And yet no matter how much Roger would get angry at Bruce, they'd never actually try to injure each other outside of a real fight. Bruce said it was because of his honorable code as a fighter…Roger just didn't want to get his school shirt dirty, since that was the only other place they met besides in the warehouse district.

Roger was brought out of his reverie by a gasp that had come from around the corner. It had sounded like a woman. Slowing his steps, the boy very carefully inched his head around the corner to have a look at what was going on.

"…come back to the lab, Eric. We can help you…" Some woman wearing way too much winter clothing was slowly approaching Roger, her back to him. And she was apparently trying to get away from a behemoth of a man who was very slowly approaching her. After a few moments of thought, Roger decided that it would be best if he just sat back and waited to see what happened. ("After all, there's no reason for me to go sticking my nose into other people's business…")

Aizen sneered, his now reptilian eyes glittering in the awkward moonlight. "But why would I go back there? I'd just become some little experiment…or ever worse, they'd lock me away for being a possible threat." He lifted up one now-huge hand and flexed the longer than normal nails at the end of it. "No…I have a better idea. Let's play a game of cat and mouse…or should I say superhuman and human?" An oddly long tongue licked across sharpened teeth. "Come on, dear Ellen…start the game. I'll even be sporty enough to give you to the count of ten."

Ellen, while Aizen had been talking, had reached into her jacket and pressed the emergency button on her phone. That would send Dr. Excelsior a message saying that the worst possible situation had happened, and that he would need to get a capture team to her location as soon as possible.

The former doctor's eye met hers, and he saw a slight sparkle of hope there. "You just called for help, didn't you?" Lifting up a single finger, he waved it in the air and 'tsk'ed at her. "That's not nice at all. Now I guess your ten seconds are up…so here we go!" Growling like some kind of alligator that was about to attack, he launched towards her with his claws back to cut her through.

Ellen screamed and turned to run, though she knew that he was far too fast for her to get away from. ("Please…someone…anyone…save me!")

"Die!" Aizen's claws got a few feet from her back…and then were knocked away as a pipe was struck across his hand, sending pain spiking up it. Roaring in pain, the former doctor withdrew the injured limb and glared at the boy holding it.

Roger narrowed his eyes at the creep. "Even street thugs don't play sick games…" Then he realized that this guy's eyes were slotted…and a weird green-yellow color that Roger remembered seeing on some kind of holographic picture once. ("What is this guy?")

Aizen, with inhuman speed, punched Roger as hard as he could with his uninjured hand, sending the boy barreling out of sight around the corner. "Little interfering…" His nostrils flared and he looked over to where Ellen had been. ("And the game is afoot…how fun.")

Roger already forgotten, Aizen began his hunt.

---------------

Walt sighed and glanced at his watch. ("Okay…I said take a little stroll, not jog the perimeter of the district. Get back here already!") Out of habit, he ran his comb through his hair and then opened the door of the 'locker room'. "Hey, has Roger come back yet?"

"Nope, sorry Walt." The guard at the door shrugged helplessly and looked out the window. After a few seconds, he cursed loudly. "It looks he had the right idea, because the police are here!"

"What?" Walt nearly fell out of the room in his rush to make it to the exit. "Make sure to turn on the alarm. I have to go find Roger before he comes back and gets himself arrested!"

The guard nodded and then both ran off in different directions.

---------------

Ellen shoved another stack of cardboard boxes over to try and put something between her and Aizen as an obstacle. ("This is bad. He's already injected himself with one of the mixtures. If he had actually been completely compatible, then he wouldn't have changed quite that much. Therefore, I can only assume that his genetic structure appeared to fit with the mixture.") That meant he didn't test his DNA with the mixture in the lab.

She knew that gave him a time limit before the mixture changed him fully into an animal. After that, her chances of getting away might be a little better…hopefully. ("Why am I calmly thinking through this? I'm getting chased by the lizard-man!")

When that thought crossed her mind, she gulped loudly and ran as quickly as she could down the alleys, trying to make her path as unpredictable as possible. ("Please Professor Excelsior, hurry!")

----------------

Roger's eyes slowly cracked open, his ribs hurting badly. ("Oh man…that freak hits like a champion boxer.") Standing slowly and cradling his ribs, the boy looked around warily to see if the two people were still here. ("No…they left. He must have left after her. Lucky me…now I'll just…")

He slowed for a second, and his eyes softened as he remembered the last image in his mind. It was a partial image of the woman's face…blond hair…blue eyes… ("Damn it…I can't just leave her to that thing!") Biting back the pain from his ribs, he charged off in the opposite direction of the alley he'd met them both. That lady didn't seem like she knew this area very well, and she probably didn't know that she was running right towards the center of the district. ("That area was a factory compound…if he traps her within the walls of that area then she's dead!")

-----------------

Aizen cackled to himself. ("How easy it is…I can actually leap from rooftop to rooftop with no problem at all!") He was easily keeping pace with Ellen, and he knew exactly where she was headed. ("The compound up ahead will be perfect for what I have in mind for this girl. I have to smell her real fear…not this false fright. I want the real thing!") Snarling, he picked up the pace.

-----------------

Walt glanced out at the warehouse, where there was now a huge stampede of guys that were running out of it as quickly as they could. ("Come on Roger…don't be a fool. Please…call me on your phone already!") He looked down at his cell phone, which said out of service at the moment. ("Leave me a stinking message! Tell me you're going home…")

--------------------------

Roger winced as he climbed the chain-link fence as quickly as possible. ("My ribs are damaged from one hit?") He didn't know a lot of things about medicine and the human body, but for someone to hit that hard in one hit meant that guy was definitely not a normal human. ("Considering the eyes…")

A slight shiver ran up his spine as he reached the top of the chain-link and dropped down on the other side of the alley. Those eyes had burned into his soul…they scared him even more than he had realized at that time. "I'm getting involved in something that doesn't concern me…but I can't leave that lady to that freak."

A beeping came from his phone, and he slowed his run to remove the device from his hip pocket. Looking at the phone's window, he rolled his eyes and pressed the answer button. Bringing the receiver to his ear, he winced at the volume of the police sirens in the background. "Walt, what the hell is going on back there? You didn't need to call the police to find me."

"Shut up, this isn't the time for jokes. The police are here." There was a moment of muffled silence as Walt covered the phone and ran down the alley to put some distance between himself and the policemen.

"Walt? Walt?" Roger snorted and was about to hang up when he heard his brother's voice on the other end.

"Head home, and I'll meet you there!" Walt gasped as a spotlight washed over him and stopped its sweep. "Damn, got to go!"

Roger heard the click and rolled his eyes. His brother would be fine. ("That guy can talk his way out of anything.") Shoving his phone back into his pocket, he skidded around the corner and frowned slowly. ("I'm here.")

The old compound had, for the longest time, been used as a meeting place and a hideout for a lot of gangs. It was normally considered a safe zone, as all of the gangs had agreed to keep their vandalism and violence out of the area. ("Now it's being used as that freak's playground to hunt that lady.") A flash of the woman's image went off in his mind and he clenched his fist tightly. ("No! I won't let him.")

"Well…well…" A cold, almost hissing voice spoke from right behind Roger. "It's you again. I suppose that you came to cause more trouble, you little punk. Well then, perhaps it would be smarter for me to hunt you at the moment then. How does that sound?"

_To be continued…_

Author's Notes: Well, here's the first chapter of my story. Not much more I can say except that if you liked it, or disliked it for that matter, then please tell me so in a review. I won't be offended by any constructive criticism, and I certainly won't be offended by any compliments. Thanks in advance!


	2. Birth of Mew Sonic

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five Elements; The American Mew Mews

Chapter 2: Birth of Mew Sonic

_"Well…well…" A cold, almost hissing voice spoke from right behind Roger. "It's you again. I suppose that you came to cause more trouble, you little punk. Well then, perhaps it would be smarter for me to hunt you at the moment then. How does that sound?"_

Roger spun around to face Aizen. "Don't talk like you're going to chase me around. I'm not some girl that needs protection."

"Yeah right, Curly." Aizen sneered and licked the claws of his now healed hand.

Roger's right eye started to twitch angrily. "What did you call me?"

"Curly." Aizen pointed at the mop of curly black hair on top of Roger's head. "I'd hope you were smart enough to figure out why I gave you that name. Then again, you'll be dead in about a minute."

Roger spat onto the stone and glared at the monster in front of him. "Nah…I'll kick your sorry butt quickly." He tried to ignore the sweat that dripped down his cheeks. ("Who am I kidding? This guy almost broke my ribs with one solid hit, and I didn't even have time to move out of the way.")

Aizen's nostrils flared up a little and he smiled coldly. "You can't hide that fear from me, you know that, right?"

Roger's right hand slowly reached into his pant's pocket. "Fear? That's my cologne…" His hand snapped up and threw the handful of sand that was stored there for emergency situations right at Aizen's eyes. ("Now! I'll lead him…")

"Too slow." Aizen seemed to disappear before the sand even approached him, and then Roger was being launched into the center of the four warehouses that made up the compound.

Biting back a cry of pain, Roger clutched his ribs and stayed on the ground. ("I didn't even catch that movement with my eyes!") Rolling onto his knees, the boy tried to brace up and stand.

Aizen cracked his knuckles and flexed the fingers of the healed hand. "That felt good. Now we're even for that hit to my hand." He licked his lips. "Now I'll give you a gift in repayment for your earlier kindness."

"Yeah, yeah…I've heard it all before." Roger started to stand, but was forced face-first into the ground as Aizen's foot planted itself into his back and pushed him down.

"You talk too much. Like a little dog who can't do anything more than just bark…" Aizen reached and with one huge hand grabbed Roger by the chin, slowly forcing his head back. "If I'm correct, pulling your head back about five more inches should break your spinal column and leave you paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of your incredibly short life." And then he started to pull…

From her hiding place just inside of one of the warehouses, Ellen closed her eyes and tried to shut out the screams of pain that came from that boy who had tried to save her. ("Leave him alone…just come after me!") She knew that if she came out, he would just kill the boy and then she'd be finished. ("But I can't just leave him to die!")

Her eyes widened and she looked down at the case at her side. ("Maybe…") Removing a little tube-like device from her coat, she pressed it against her wrist and braced herself against the hissing pain that it caused for a moment. ("My genetics might be compatible with one of the tubes…if I can use one to boost my strength, I might be able to save him!")

The chances of her being completely compatible were one in a million. And without a laboratory there was no way to find that out. But with the device she had, she could at least find one that would have genetics slightly compatible with hers. ("This is so stupid…I don't want to spend the rest of my life as an animal…")

Roger screamed again as he felt his neck pop loudly.

Aizen licked his lips again. "Two more inches and its done…just relax and it might not hurt so much…"

Ellen looked at the number presented on the end of the device, and she popped the case open. Her eyes swept across the dozens of tubes and she found one with a number matching the shown number. ("This one will do!") Grabbing the tube, she loaded it with practiced ease into the remaining injection gun that the case still had. "Hang in there kid!" Rolling back her right sleeve, she leapt up from her hiding place and screamed at the top of her lungs.

Aizen tilted his head up at the sound, which was so full of pure fear that he instantly lost interest with Roger. Releasing the boy's head, he stepped off the boy and charged at Ellen like a freight train. "Dear Ellen…let me hear that delicious fear again!"

Ellen turned and ran into the warehouse. ("This is a last resort…this is a last resort.") She still had the safety on the injection gun, so it wouldn't accidentally fire into her arm or into the air. ("If I keep him preoccupied long enough, then the capture team will arrive and I'll be okay!")

Aizen stopped right as he entered the warehouse doors, his nostrils flaring up at the chemical smell that was nearby. ("Cleaning chemicals…this place…") His nostrils seemed to flatten against his nose. ("She's trying to overwhelm my senses with these horrid smells. That's her last mistake!") Snarling, he charged in again.

-----------------

Roger somehow managed to stand, though his neck burned like someone had hit it with a hammer. ("Man…I'm dying to this guy. He's so fast.") Slowly, he stumbled towards the warehouse. ("Please…give me the strength to get even with this freak.")

-------------------------

Ellen screamed as Aizen's fist shot past her head, missing by just a few inches. Dropping to her knees, she slid underneath another table and crawled for all she was worth. The injection gun was hidden in his coat pocket, and she hoped it wouldn't need to be used. ("Run…just run.")

Aizen laughed rough and gravelly. "This is so much fun! Keep running! Keep being my entertainment!"

("Just keep laughing, you sick freak…") Ellen was so focused on running, that in the dark she didn't realize that the table she had crawled under was a desk, with metal covering the other end. That is, until she ran head-first into it and nearly knocked herself unconscious.

Aizen heard this, and laughed even louder. "My little mouse has hit her head in her rush to run. How amusing…" Throwing the desk against a far away wall, he towered over her like a nightmare. "I guess the game ended then…how funny is that…you actually made me waste about fifteen minutes."

Ellen started to reach for where the gun was…and went silent as she felt nothing there but fabric. ("Where…where did it go?") All her hopes were gone now. Even her last resort was useless now.

Aizen started to reach down towards her…and stopped as he heard a strange rock song play in the air near the warehouse entrance. ("Heavy metal?") His head turned slowly to look at the source of the music, and he smirked at what he saw. "You just don't know when to give up, do you?"

Roger slowly held the phone up to his ear. "Yeah…I'll be home in a little while Walt. I just stopped to hang out with a couple of friends for a little while." He smirked calmly, because he was no longer afraid. "Okay, I'll stop by the store and get some more mac and cheese mix before I come home. Later." Pressing the disconnect button, he deposited the phone back in his pant's pocket. "Come on…let's end this."

"End it?" Aizen snarled in a way that made it seem much more feral than it had been a minute ago. "I don't intend to let you get off that easily. And honestly…" He glanced down at Ellen and threw her over his shoulder. Because of the fact that her head was still ringing, she didn't offer much resistance. "…I'll just kill you both at once."

Roger's look of confidence seemed to fade for a moment.

Aizen caught that and he came to about fifteen feet from the boy. Glancing down at the ground, a deep rumbling laugh escaped his lips. "I see…you poured cleaning fluid all over the ground between you and me in the hopes that I would charge mindlessly." His eyes flicked up the ceiling above the wet area of floor. "And I see the mass of steel girders that are up there, all tied up. I'm assuming that the crank for the wire is near you, and that you would drop those on me when I slipped."

Roger laughed weakly, all of his confidence appearing to dissolve. "Heh…not the best laid plan, huh? I didn't expect you to pick the girl up either."

"Of course not, and that's because you are a stupid kid!" A short bark of a laugh came from Aizen's throat. "Idiot…just for trying to trap me like that I'm going to pull you apart from the center." He almost casually discarded Ellen to the ground and walked around the wet spot, keeping himself close to the right wall of the warehouse.

Roger had drops of sweat sliding down his face at a rapid pace now. "Damn…"

Aizen took that as a starting signal, and charged….right into a steel girder that suddenly swung down into his path.

Roger smirked coolly at the now stumbling Aizen. "Do you think I'd come here without knowing some of the traps set by earlier gangs?"

Aizen's eyes were crossed, and he stumbled back…

Roger kicked a crank near his feet and another huge girder fell down from the ceiling of the warehouse…this one slamming right into Aizen's chest and forcing the former professor right through the nearby brick wall. "Idiot." He strolled over to the lady's apparently still stunned form.

As he got closer, he noticed that there was something on the ground. Picking it up, he frowned at the tiny injection gun. "So that was it. You're a drug dealer?" His face contorted angrily. "Then you can just lay there and die for all I care."

"No…you're wrong…" Ellen somehow managed to stand up. "I…my name is Ellen White. I'm a research assistant…"

"Don't give me that bull!" Roger kept walking, trying to ignore the fact that his ribs and neck were telling him to lay down before he broke himself.

"It's true!" Ellen grabbed his arm and tried to get the gun from him. "Now return that right now!"

"Not a chance!" Snapping his arm away, he glared at her angrily and twirled the item on his finger like an old gunslinger. "I'm not giving anything that can inject to a drug dealer…"

"I'm not a drug dealer!" She would have slapped him, had he not had saved her life and had she not been seeing double at the moment thanks to her meeting with the desk.

"Sure you aren't." Roger took another few steps forward…and then he heard a whooshing noise coming from his right. ("No way!") Everything slowed down to a snail's crawl as he turned just in time to see the steel girder that had taken down the freak hit his right side and send him head over heels into a stack of wooden boxes.

Ellen gasped as Aizen stumbled back into the warehouse through the hole he had created upon exiting. "Professor…Aizen?"

In the less than a minute time he had been out, Aizen's physical mutation had taken a sudden turn. His pants were badly damaged, as huge patches of rough scale had sprang up all over his body. Swaying behind him was a long green-gray tail about four feet in length and the width of one of his huge arms. A low rumble came from Aizen's throat, and he charged right at Ellen.

("His mind is deteriorating!") Ellen threw herself off to the side as quickly as she could, almost injuring herself just to get out of the way of Aizen's mad charge.

The monstrous lizard-man that was once Eric Aizen slid to a stop right before it hit the wall, and it slowly turned to face Ellen. Letting out a roar of blind rage, the monster charged at her again.

Roger's eyes slowly opened…and then closed immediately. ("I don't feel any pain…so why?") He managed to open his eyes enough to see his entire right side was stained with blood, though his jacket and t-shirt hid the worst of the damage from sight. ("That blow injured me badly…")

Ellen screamed as Aizen's claws gashed her arm when the monster had charged again. ("I can't dodge much longer…I'm…too….") She almost swooned right there, her entire body still tired and stunned from the head blow she had suffered. Then her eyes caught a look of the boy…and she gasped. ("No…") Even from here, she could see that he had taken a fatal wound from that girder hitting him.

Aizen charged again, but was cut off as it hit the wet spot that Roger had set up before. Sliding out of control, it crashed right through the same brick wall of the building it had been force through before.

Ellen stumbled over to the boy. ("I have to inject myself…I can try to save the boy if I can escape…") Right as she got to him, her mind swam and she collapsed next to him. Feebly, she grasped the injection gun that was still in his hand and unlocked the safety. ("Now…I…") Her eyes crossed and she passed out.

Roger watched that, and his eyes somehow managed to open a little bit more. "Stupid…drug…run…" He felt the ground moving as the freak, the undying freak, approached them slowly. ("Wow…this is it. I'm going to…")

"Must…last hope…" Ellen's right hand feebly tried to pull the injection gun to her arm, but the boy just wouldn't let go of it. ("Stupid kid…give it…")

Roger somehow managed to glare at her, and then jerked the gun away. "Last hope…huh?" He looked down at his bared arm, the sleeve for his jacket long since torn away. ("Why not? It's not like this situation can get worse.") Pressing the gun to an obvious vein, he pulled the trigger and felt a slight sting, which was surprising considering he couldn't feel the pain that was destroying his body. ("Wow…no kick at all. Just…") Whatever remaining thoughts he had were blasted from his head as a huge claw-hand struck him and sent him flying into the far off wall near the entrance of the warehouse.

Ellen looked up at Aizen's snarling maw…and whimpered. ("He's going to eat me…he's going to…") She felt the wind up a falling claw…

And then there was wind all around her, blowing as if she was moving at high speed. ("What?") Her eyes cracked open and caught a glimpse of a mass of dull sandy-colored straight hair…and an oddly familiar face. ("Huh? Who's…")

Roger touched down on the ground right in front of the entrance to the warehouse without the slightest trouble, covering the thirty feet distance in one leap. His blood-stained clothing was gone, replaced by a sleeve-less leather vest that covered over his chest and a pair of leather pants that fit him snugly. His hair hung into his now sand-colored eyes, and his ears had changed into a pair of dull red colored canine ears that poked up through the mass of hair. Turning to face the freak, which was about to throw a table at him, he felt a moment of fear. Then it disappeared. ("No. You won't shove me around.")

Aizen threw the heavy table as hard as it could towards the annoying boy that had stolen its prey.

Roger held Ellen in his arms tightly and hopped back. As soon as his feet touched the ground from his hop, he spun his legs around and turned his back to the incoming table.

Aizen let out a roar of success as the table stopped its movement…until he realized that the boy had blocked with his back…and barely moved because of it.

Roger shrugged off the table, its metal bent slightly because of his resistance. "Hang on, let me set her aside." Laying the woman down, he turned to lock onto Aizen's reptilian eyes with a pair of sandy eyes of his own. "And now…I'm going to pay you back for making me seem weak!"

Aizen charged, shoving desks, tables, and chairs out of its way easily as it prepared to run the boy down.

Roger narrowed his eyes. "That's right…"

Ellen's eyes slid open as she regained consciousness, and then went wide open as she saw the boy who had saved her before. "That's impossible!"

"Huh?" Roger turned to look at her, obviously confused. Then he disappeared as Aizen ran right into him, took him through the wall, and then both of them rolled to a stop in the middle of the compound.

Ellen laid in silence, her eyes looking out into the compound's courtyard. ("Those features…his sudden recovery…")

Roger kicked Aizen in the chest, sending the giant creature flying off of him and into one of the nearby walls that surrounded the compound. Hopping up, he brushed himself off and growled, baring a pair of slightly elongated canine teeth. "I'll tear right through you!"

He disappeared for a moment, and then was standing behind Aizen, his arms locking the creature's front limbs in place. "Now take this!" His left arm let go of Aizen's left arm, and he spun around at full speed, forcing Aizen to go with him.

Aizen's roar of anger was cut off as he ate a face-full of brick wall.

Ellen stumbled out into the moonlight. "You can't beat him that…." A moment of dizziness came over her. "You…"

"I know." Roger landed a side kick that nearly folded the giant lizard monster in half. "I just wanted to pay back a couple of debts!" He did a series of back-flips that got him some distance from the now stunned Aizen. "Alright, freak show, let's end this!"

Aizen snarled weakly, as the blows it had received were making it hard to get its bearings down.

Roger's hand snapped up, little motes of light gathering around his wrist. "Come on out, Sonic Jammer!" An explosion of light blinded him for a moment, and when it cleared he was holding a sand-colored acoustic guitar in his hands. "What the heck? And more importantly…how did I do that?" It seemed almost as if a giant question mark had appeared over his head.

Ellen threw her shoe at Roger, hitting him in the shoulder. "Don't just stand there! Do something!"

"Like what? Play it a lullaby?" Roger turned his head back just in time to get tackled by Aizen again, skidding on his back a few times before he hit a wall. ("AH! That hurts!") Hopping to his feet, he growled and charged right at the lizard creature. "Fine, I'll use this thing to win!"

Ellen felt a moment of hope, until she saw the boy hit the monster in the head with the guitar, which barely phased it. "Are you stupid?"

"Well, what am I supposed to do with it then?" Roger still wasn't even sure how he had made the stupid thing, so how was he supposed to know how to use it right?

Aizen snapped back its fist to punch, and was caught right in the jaw by a kick from Roger. Off-balance, it crashed to the ground on its back.

Roger felt a tingle in the back of his head. ("That way?") Spring-boarding off of Aizen's chest, he launched into the air above the fallen creature. His fingers slid across the springs of the instrument, and he felt power building at the head of it. "Wolf's Howl!"

A ball of pure sound came from the head of the instrument, slamming right into Aizen's chest. The resulting shockwave sent Roger even higher into the air, and Ellen to her knees to avoid falling over from the waves of sound that knocked her unconscious.

As the smoke from the blast cleared, it revealed Aizen in his normal, human form, unconscious.

--------------------

From not too far away, a man holding a pair of binoculars smirked at the explosion that he both heard and felt. ("Those were pure sound waves…capable of breaking down unstable mutations instantly. So it's true…a chosen one was there.")

A few minutes later he was at the compound, and his eyes widened at what he saw. ("It is a male? Interesting…from what I have seen so far all of the possible candidates have been females. Oh well…")

Roger looked down at the unconscious Ellen and sighed. "I guess I'd better take you to my house, so you don't die of a cold out here." Throwing her over one shoulder, he started to walk home. He didn't even seem to notice his change in clothing and appearance yet. And he wasn't even curious where the Sonic Jammer had gone.

The man rubbed his chin a couple of times, until he heard the approaching sirens. ("The extraction team.") Working quickly, he searched the compound and found exactly what he was looking for.

As he walked away from the site casually, he whistled a little tune and looked down at the metal case he was carrying. "You and me baby…we're going to change the world to better suit my purposes." A quiet laughter came from him as he imagined all of the things he could do with these mixtures.

_To be continued…_


	3. Wolf Within

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five Elements; The American Mew Mews

Chapter 3: The Wolf within

Ellen's eyes slowly opened to bright sunlight pouring into a window and onto her face. ("Huh? How did I get home?") Checking herself over, she saw that she was still wearing her winter clothing from last night. Yawning and slowly sitting up, she stretched her back out. ("And why do I feel sore all over?")

As he eyes adjusted to the room, she immediately realized this wasn't her house she was in. If it was, then there was some major cleaning up that needed to be done. All over the walls there were posters of different heavy metal and rock bands, and in one corner of the room there were a pair of electric guitars and an amplifier. Other than that though, the room's floor was hidden by layers of dirty clothing or empty take-out boxes.

Ellen pinched her nose and slowly worked her way out to the door of the room. After kicking a pile of clothing out of the way, she opened the door and walked out into the hall.

And the first thing that happened was that she bumped right into someone. "Oh, I'm so…"

"Don't worry about it." The speaker was a teenager who looked about fifteen or so, his long straight black hair perfectly combed and groomed. He was wearing a t-shirt and a pair of jogging shorts, and by the look of the sweat that covered his face, he had been out running. "So, I suppose my little brother actually does have good taste in women?" His crystal blue eyes looked her over. "Though you really overdress for the winter, but I suppose that really doesn't matter huh?"

"Huh?" Ellen went silent at that…then its meaning sunk in and she started to glow red in the cheeks. "That's not it…"

"I know, I know." Holding up his hand and motioning assuredly, he thumbed behind him to a door with light coming from it and little wisps of steam coming from the bottom of the door's frame. "Roger's in the shower right now, and at the moment I'm rather curious who you are." Motioning for her to follow, he casually walked down the small hallway and into what looked to be a living room, albeit a small one. "So please have a seat and let's discuss everything."

Ellen followed, but in the back of her head she was trying to figure out a reasonable excuse. Memories of last night's events flashed in her head, and it became painfully obvious she couldn't tell him that. He wouldn't believe her. ("Besides, I'm sure that 'Roger' has figured out how to change back by now, so this person won't know a thing as long as we're careful.") "Well you see…" Smoothing out her skirt, which was silly considering she looked like a mess all over, Ellen sat down on a couch. "…I'm Roger's new tutor. Yeah, we had an all-nighter and by the time we realized what time it was…"

The boy made a sound like a game-show buzzer going off. "Nice try, but if you had actually known Roger you would know that his interest in school and in passing it is next to zero. But here's a consolation prize." Walking through another doorway, he came out with a tray that had three steaming mugs on it. "Coffee?"

"Yes please…" Ellen grasped one of the mugs and sipped it, delighted as the warmth of the coffee seeped right into her very core.

Sitting down again and placing the tray on a tiny little coffee table that barely seemed to be able to hold the whole thing up, the boy picked up his mug and took a sip. "Well? Perhaps you'd like to tell me the truth? Or we could just do the whole run-around thing again, and get nowhere."

Ellen turned red again as she realized she had blown it on the first try. ("He knows I'm up to something. But what can I tell him? 'Yeah, your brother is now a genetic mix of human and animal, and he possesses superhuman powers. The only reason he met is because last night he saved my life.") Rolling her eyes at how silly that would sound, she shrugged innocently. "Can we wait until Roger is done showering to talk about this, mister…?"

"Just call me Walt." Taking another sip of his coffee, Walt pointed at the doorway. "Don't worry, he can tell me everything if you won't." Then he went silent and his eyebrows rose, as if he was surprised. "Errrr….who are you?"

"What do you mean, who am I?" Standing in the doorway, Roger flipped his brother the bird and stomped by, only wearing a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. He had a towel on over his head, and he disappeared into the kitchen a few seconds later. What had Walt confused was the fact that his brother had a dull red-colored tail sticking out through a hole in the back of his boxers.

Walt's eyes closed and he took a deep breath. "Okay….how about you tell me the truth right now, before someone calls 911?" He held up his cell phone to indicate that he wasn't kidding or playing around.

Ellen just sat there, staring at the space where Roger had gone through. Her eyes were bugged out of her head, and she had a slight facial tic. ("He…he didn't change back? Does he even know that he's transformed?")

--------------------

"Good morning, my pretties!" A calm laughter echoed across the interior of a huge green house that sat behind a large mansion. "How is everyone this morning?"

A sting of angry rustling was the response given.

"That's what I thought." A man, hidden in a patch of shadows in the corner of the glass building, sat with his back against the wall and a cigarette in his mouth, the only light touching his face being from the lit tip. "Today is a big day, you know?" After taking another drag, he blew the smoke out and chuckled. "We're going to start changing the world today, you know?"

More rustling was his only reply.

"First, we have to test the strength of the chosen one who I saw last night, don't you agree kids?" Listening to the rustlings, the man shrugged. "I don't care, Magnolia. You can go if you want. I just want to know how powerful this kid is, before I start my plans up." Glancing off to his side, the man patted a thick steel case which rested on a table. "It will be grand though, won't it?"

--------------------------

Walt eyed the woman skeptically. "So you're telling me that my brother…" He pointed at the kitchen doorway. "That guy, is something called a…"

"A Mew Mew, or that's at least the name given by the men who started the Mew project." Ellen spoke plainly, not seeing any point in lying to this guy. ("After all, his brother just stupidly gave away what was supposed to be a secret without even knowing it.")

"Mew Mew…" Walt covered his mouth with one hand to hide the fact that he was snickering. "My little brother is something called a Mew Mew…."

"Yes, but that…" Ellen went silent as Walt fell right out his chair, laughing as loud as possible. "Errr….what's so funny?"

Coughing, Walt sat back upright and took another sip of his coffee. "It's nothing at all." His face contorted and he looked like he was about to laugh again, but then he stopped himself. "So…so what's a Mew Mew…" His face contorted, but he somehow managed to control it. "Supposed to do?"

"Save the planet." Ellen lifted an eyebrow at Walt. "Why is the name so funny?"

"It's not the name…" Walt took a deep breath, and then grinned. "It's the beautiful faces that are gracing my baby bro's face."

Ellen spun her head around to the kitchen doorway, and she flushed red at the mixed look of confusion and horror on Roger's face. "Oh, I see you're focused enough to notice…."

"Why do I have a tail? And more importantly…" He grabbed the offending appendage and held it up to show a yellow spot on the fur. "It doesn't stain, does it?"

Ellen face-fell, while Walt collapsed to the ground laughing again.

---------------------

As Ellen finished her explanation of last night's events, she looked from her chair seat to the couch, where both and Walt sat in their normal day clothing. "So that's what happened."

Walt coughed to clear his throat. "So, last night my brother bit off more than he could chew, and then he injected himself with some unknown chemical that changed him into the wolf-man. Makes sense, considering how stupid he can be."

Roger glared at his brother…and then leapt to his feet, fist cocked back to strike.

Walt had expected a strike, but his eyes widened as the fist that rocketed towards him was moving way too fast to be dodged. ("That's…")

"No!" Ellen started to move out of her chair to stop Roger, images flashing in her mind of the outcome if that punch landed. ("Even a half-hearted blow while he is in that form might kill his brother!")

Roger's eyes widened slightly and his fist stopped an inch from Walt's face. Slowly, he withdrew his fist and stared down at it. "So I really am a superhuman now." He knew his own limitations and speed, and the speed of that punch was far beyond what he could do. In fact, it reminded him of Aizen's speed.

Walt gulped and slowly inched towards the other end of the couch. "Sooo….I guess I can believe that." He tapped his fingers together. "Now the question is, what are you going to do about it? We certainly can't leave my brother looking like this." He smiled evilly as a few possible uses of his brother's new powers flashed in his mind. "Actually…"

Roger glared at his brother again, and then turned to face Ellen. "Change me back right now, before he tries to use this against me somehow."

"All you have to do is will it, and it should go away." Ellen giggled as Roger face-fell.

"Just will it away huh?" Roger growled and squeezed his eyes shut. ("Go away!") There was a momentary flash of light, and when it cleared he was back in his normal, human form. "Whew…"

Walt frowned as all of his ideas disappeared. ("No good now…") "So I guess that is that then?"

"Not quite." Ellen held up a finger. "Just because the transformation is no longer in effect means that the genetics are gone."

Roger groaned, knowing that it was too good to be true. "So…what now?"

"What now is that first she's going to tell me everything there is to know about these…Mew Mews." Walt didn't even look like he might laugh at the name now. After his momentary brush with his super-brother's fist, he decided that he'd treat this completely serious.

Ellen sank into her chair slowly and took a deep breath. "It's a long story, but I'll try to just give you the important things for now. All across the planet earth, there are thousands of animal species that are approaching becoming extinct every day."

"What's this…" Roger was silenced as his brother's hand went over his mouth.

"A Mew Mew is the code name for a human being that had genetics which are compatible with a set of genetic code from one of the endangered species. They're original purpose was to protect the earth from threats." Ellen tapped her hands together. "Though it's amazing that there is actually a male who responded perfectly to the mixture. All of the past results that have worked have always been female."

"So my brother, out of a one in a million chance, turned out to be compatible with whatever DNA was in the mixture. As such, he's now a superhero." Walt rolled his eyes. "Alright then…I guess it makes total sense. Tell me, what DNA mixture was he injected with?"

Ellen remembered the number on the mixture and ran it through the lists in her memory. "I think _Carnivora Canidae_. If you want me to be more specific, I believe it's the Ethiopian Wolf."

Walt nodded sagely. "I see…it's ironic."

"What is?" Ellen tilted her head to the side.

"I'm the leader of a gang called the Lone Wolves, and Roger is my second in command." Walt laughed. "It's strange how irony works sometimes."

Ellen paled at the word 'gang'. ("You're telling me that…there's a Mew Mew who is a criminal?")

"I don't care about this Mew Mew crap, because it's not for me." Roger glared at Ellen. "I injected myself last night to save you, and since that's all said and done you can repay me by removing this stuff from my system."

"I can't do that." Ellen slid off her glasses and massaged her eyes with her thumb and index finger. "The genetics you were injected with can't just be removed like that. Because you are a perfect match with the DNA, it is now part of you."

"Are you saying…" Roger clenched his fist tightly and growled. "That I'm stuck like this?"

"What's the problem?" Walt shrugged. "It isn't like it will affect your everyday life. You look perfectly normal again."

"That's beside the point!" Roger screamed right into his brother's face, and felt something change about him.

Walt reached up and poked one of the dull red wolf ears on his brother's head. "Ooookay, why did his ears change?"

"When someone with DNA like that in their blood stream becomes overly excited in any way, their genetic structure changes to resemble their animal side." Ellen rubbed her temples, trying to ignore the death glare Roger was giving her. "Also, the person in question may start to exhibit some traits of their animal side, hence Roger might eventually start doing some rather…wolf-ish things."

"What do you mean, wolf-ish?" Roger leaned in slowly and glared right into her face. "If I turn into a freak like that guy from last night…"

"You won't. Don't worry, you're lucky." Ellen rested the back of her head on the top of her chair. "Because of the perfect integration with your genetics, the wolf DNA won't do that."

Walt snickered. "Don't start digging up our backyard, alright?"

"Shut up!" Roger was about to beat his brother to death, when a ring sounded off in the living room. Right after giving his brother one more glare of death, he stood up and marched off to the front door to see who it was.

As soon as Roger was out of hearing range, Walt's expression turned serious once more. "How will he be able to change into a Mew Mew? Can emotions trigger it?"

"Not the full transformation, we have a special device that brings out a Mew Mew's full power and transforms them." Ellen reached into her skirt pocket and held up a small little yellow amulet with pink trimmings. "This device is what can do it."

"Did you expect to find a Mew Mew when you went out last night, then? Otherwise, why would you have it?" Walt frowned and listened closely to see if his brother was returning or not. He had this horrible feeling like his brother had just become involved with some very dangerous people, and if that was the case he wanted Roger to be able to use this power to fight if it came to it.

"No, but I didn't want to take any chances." Ellen pocketed the device. "When I went out there I had no idea what I would find, whether it be a Mew Mew who didn't understand their own power…or something like Aizen."

"On that note, what did Roger do to Aizen? You said that after he did what he did, that Aizen was completely human again." Walt found all of this rather interesting, but also frightening. These were things that he had no experience with, and as a businessman amongst criminals he liked to be informed on every subject that might become important.

"The thing I told you he created, the Sonic Jammer, is capable of unleashing an attack that can destroy alien organisms and genetic mutations. It's the ultimate ability that all Mew Mews possess." Ellen put her glasses back on and sighed. "Though I'm not so sure that it was good this happened."

"If you mean whether Roger or I intend to use this new power for crime, don't worry." Walt waved his hand distastefully. "We're part of our gang because we like the politics and fights that come with it. For Roger to use his power for his own personal gain is not something he would do. Since he was a child, everyone always treated him as the underdog in every fight. And yet, he tended to win just because he was used to being the weaker one." A slight frown creased Walt's face. "I'm rather afraid that he might not know how to handle suddenly being stronger than everyone else human."

"Fighting means that much to him?" Ellen somehow didn't find that surprising, considering how eager Roger had been to fight Aizen last night, despite taking a blow that had nearly broken his ribs.

"Yes it does. It is one of the things he categorizes his life by. Fighting is Roger's way of letting out his anger and venting his emotions…" Walt stood up and glanced out at the front door, his eyes widening. "On the note of fighting…" He walked past Ellen's chair and towards the front door, unconsciously running his comb through his hair.

"Admit it, you were the one who called the police last night!" A tall oriental boy with black hair which was in a bobbed cut with a ponytail pointed right at Roger's face.

Roger's first instinct was to bite that finger as hard as he could. It wasn't part of the wolf thing…he just hated having things pointed at him. "Shut up Bruce. Do you really think that I'm afraid of you?"

"No…but I bet you sensed my mighty battle spirit last night, and therefore immediately decided that it would be best to fight me another time, when I wasn't so fired up to pound you flat!" Bruce pointed at Roger again, and then withdrew his hand in time to avoid losing a finger to Roger's teeth.

"You're so full of yourself…" Roger scoffed and turned to walk away. "Just go home already." He had his back turned, so he didn't even notice a slim hand that reached from around Bruce and grabbed his ear as hard as possible. "OW! Who…"

"Roger Grant!" A girl who looked to be the same age as Roger pushed past Bruce and got right into Roger's face. Her short hair was a light brown color, and her eyes were the same as well. In most boys' books, she would be considered cute. "I can't believe that you actually went to the warehouse district again! Do you not care what happens to your future if you get arrested?"

Ellen looked over Walt's shoulder at the girl. "Is she his girlfriend?"

Walt's eyes widened as he saw Roger's entire face explode to bright red. The words 'excited' flashed in his mind, and then he grabbed Roger by the collar and threw the boy back into the living room. "Heh…of course not. Caitlyn has always just been concerned for the fool, ever since they were children."

Meanwhile, in the living room, Roger's heart was racing a mile a minute as he realized that both his ears were transformed and his tail was sticking out through his jeans. ("That was too close.") Taking a deep and restful breath, he calmed down and felt the changes disappear. ("Okay…I just need to keep a cool head…")

"Grant!" Bruce yelled right into Roger's ear, sending the boy screaming over to the other side of the couch. "You can't escape that easily! I challenge you to a fight right now!"

Roger whimpered quietly as he had to sit on his tail. "Fine! If it will just shut you up, then I'll do it!"

Caitlyn came running in and hit Roger over the head with her elbow. "Why is it that no matter where you go, you are always starting fights?"

"And why is it that whenever I try to start a fight, you hit me?" Roger countered. His animal parts had already withdrawn again, leaving him looking normal.

Bruce smirked and walked towards the door that led to the backyard of the small one-story house. "Are you ready to fight me? We'll take it to your backyard."

"That's just fine with me!" Roger ran outside to try and get somewhere where he wouldn't get overly excited. The last thing he needed right now was to have his new identity get discovered. ("Wait…why am I accepting it? I'll make that lady find a way to get rid of it before this day is done!")

_To be continued…_


	4. First Encounter

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five Elements; The American Mew Mews

Chapter 4: First Encounter

_Bruce smirked and walked towards the door that led to the backyard of the small one-story house. "Are you ready to fight me? We'll take it to your backyard."_

"_That's just fine with me!" Roger ran outside to try and get somewhere where he wouldn't get overly excited. The last thing he needed right now was to have his new identity get discovered. ("Wait…why am I accepting it? I'll make that lady find a way to get rid of it before this day is done!")_

----------------------

The backyard of Roger's house was incredibly small, nothing but grass. But it offered the best location for a place for a duel.

Bruce cracked his knuckles and tightened the ties on his kung fu pants and shirt. "Well? You don't want to prepare any kind of special things for the fight?"

Roger shook his head slowly. "I'm not at all like you. I don't use martial arts, remember?" He charged at full speed towards Bruce. "I just fight!"

"And that is why you'll never be able to win!" Bruce slid around Roger's punch, slamming his knee into the boy's abdomen. "My style is too good for the likes of you. How you actually win some of our battles is beyond me."

Roger smiled and latched onto Bruce's leg, keeping it pinned to his stomach. "Does it make sense now?" He pounded his fist into Bruce's defenseless stomach a couple of times, and then they both pushed away from each other and squared off.

From right inside the house, Ellen stared at the two boys with wide eyes. "Incredible…they're so fast."

"They've been doing it so long that I would be surprised if they were slow." Walt rubbed his chin in interest. ("Bruce mentioned his mighty battle spirit…maybe he trained to make sure that he had the edge over Roger?")

Bruce smirked and ran at Roger as if he was charging.

Roger caught the feint though, noticing how Bruce's legs were positioned for him to stop if he had to. ("Yeah…he intends for me to try and dodge the 'charge', and when I do he'll run right through me with a kick.") He stood his ground, smirking like the fight was already his.

Bruce got within five feet of Roger…and his stance changed.

("No!") Roger realized the charged was for real…but before he could do anything about it Bruce's right leg pounded right into his ribs. Then another right kick, and another, and another.

Walt winced as he watched his little brother get his ribs tenderized by Bruce's almost famous rapid fire right kick. ("That's what you get for trying to be cool.") He had to admit though, Bruce must had undergone some kind of extreme training. His speed was good, but his power normally was lacking because of the speed of his strikes. ("Now he seems balanced, while Roger is still as awkward with his fighting style as ever.")

Bruce landed the fifteenth consecutive kick to Roger's ribs, driving the boy's back to the concrete wall that surrounded the backyard. "Give it up!" He struck again, planning on focusing his blows to those ribs to create a hole in Roger's normally inhuman physical endurance.

Roger gritted his teeth and took each blow without a sound, though he could feel his ribs softening up a little. ("I can't take much more…I need him to get off of me!")

Caitlyn closed her eyes and wished with all her heart that Roger would just give up already. ("Come on…just surrender! It's not like it really matters…anyway…")

Walt frowned. "Bruce…cool it…"

Ellen nodded. "Yeah, he's going to wind up injuring Roger badly at this rate."

"That's not it." Walt watched the thirtieth kick land. "I'm worried that Bruce might not like what happens if he…"

Ellen's eyes widened. "We have to stop the fight!"

"It's too late." Walt winced as he heard a loud pop noise come from the backyard.

Bruce stared down at his leg, more surprised than injured that not only had Roger actually stopped him in mid-kick by grabbing the limb, but also that he felt the bones actually shift to the grip. ("How? He's not that strong…")

Roger's head slowly lifted up to meet Bruce eye to eye. "I think you should stop." Then he used his right arm, which was still holding Bruce's leg by the calf, and slammed his right elbow into Bruce's chest as hard as he could, sending the boy flying back about ten feet, to the middle of the backyard. "In fact…"

Bruce rolled to his feet, but stumbled as his leg protested having weight placed on it. ("That grip was like iron…")

Ellen gulped. ("Roger, though not transformed, may have the ability to tap into part of the power he has if he gets provoked to do so.")

Roger started to walk towards Bruce calmly. "What's the matter? Are you afraid?"

"Of you? Heh!" Bruce charged again, and stopped right before he reached Roger. Dropping his hands to the grass, he snapped both of his legs up to hit Roger in the side of the head and in the side of the ribs at once.

Roger moved with incredible speed and punched Bruce right in the stomach, stopping the boy's attack from even stopping and leaving him sucking in air. "Today is really not the day for this. Go home and we'll finish another day." Roger's eye reflected an animal desire to injure his opponent…but his trembling body said he was resisting the urge.

"Bastard…" Bruce rolled to his feet and danced back a few steps. "I'm far from done with you."

"Then I'll make it so you'll have to go home…" He started to move…then stopped as every hair on his body stood on end. ("What is that…feeling?") It felt like someone or something was nearby. Something dangerous.

"Well, it looks like you two boys are having fun." A woman's voice came from the rooftop of Roger's home. "This is the place that the Mew Mew is supposed to be located, so tell me where she is."

Roger slowly looked up onto his roof, and his eyes widened. There was a woman up there who was wearing a dress made of flowers…of magnolias. "Who in the…"

The woman brushed back some of her pink hair. "My name is Magnolia, and I'm here to speak with the local Mew Mew." She giggled. "So, where is the dear girl?"

"How do you know about that?" Roger didn't even register that Magnolia had said 'she'.

"Do you know this woman?" Bruce had already forgotten about the fight, as he felt something dangerous coming from this woman as well. "Well, do you know her or not?"

"I've never seen her before in my life." Roger turned his head away from Magnolia. "There's no Mew whatchamacallits around here, so scram."

"Oh?" Magnolia didn't seem convinced. "Is that so?" Her hands touched and then pulled apart to reveal a single thorny vine that resembled a whip. "Then I'll just have to beat you two around until she comes out. After all, from what I've been told Mew Mews are supposed to protect humans."

Roger narrowed his eyes and glanced at the window where Walt, Ellen, and Caitlyn were all watching from.

Walt caught the look and frowned. "Something is happening? Someone dangerous is on the roof." He glanced at Ellen. "You said that…" He realized that Caitlyn was listening and pulled Ellen off to the side. "You said that amulet would let Roger transform, right?"

Adjusting her glasses, Ellen nodded…

"Let's play." Magnolia swung the whip, and it extended far enough to wrap around Bruce's leg.

"What's…" Bruce didn't have time to ask questions, because he was suddenly flying through the air as Magnolia yanked him off of his feet and right into the nearest wall.

"Bruce!" Roger took a few steps back to try and put himself out of the range of the whip. ("She's dangerous…worry about living before you worry about that idiot. He'll be fine as long as…") Then he realized Magnolia was no longer on the roof. ("Where'd she go?")

"What are you looking for?"

Roger froze up at the whisper that came from behind him. ("She's even faster than Aizen!")

Walt gritted his teeth as he saw the lady in the flower dress wrap her thorn whip around Roger's neck and pull, instantly leaving him without air. "Give me the amulet!"

Ellen nodded and removed it from her coat pocket…

"Roger! Bruce!" Caitlyn ran to the door and pulled it open, running out into the backyard. "Leave them alone!"

Magnolia smiled winningly. "I knew she'd show herself." She whispered this into Roger's ear, and then she spoke up so that Caitlyn could hear her. "Then hurry up and transform. I'm supposed to fight you."

"Transform?" Caitlyn blinked and looked down at herself. "Transform into what?"

"Oh? You want to play stupid?" Magnolia willed the thorn whip to tighten, and it did so.

Roger heard his neck pop and he kicked over and over again, trying to get free. ("I…can't breathe…")

"Stop it! You'll kill him!" Caitlyn felt paralyzed though, because something about this 'woman' wasn't right. Something about this 'woman' was unnatural.

"That's the point." Magnolia willed the whip even tighter, loving every little squeak that came from Roger's throat. "Hurry and transform, and I promise I'll let him live."

"I'm telling you I don't understand!" Caitlyn yelled back, her voice strained with fear as she watched Roger turn blue. "Please…just let him go!" She felt a hand on her shoulder.

Walt stepped past the girl. "Ellen, keep her safe." He absent-mindedly rubbed the edge of the amulet as he tried to think of a way to free Roger through coercion. ("But how? This lady doesn't look like she'll be easily convinced of anything.")

Ellen put her hand over Caitlyn's mouth and whispered gently into her ear. "Don't worry, everything will be okay. Walt knows what he is doing…" ("I think.")

"Well?" Magnolia reduced the length of the whip, forcing Roger to stand on his tip-toes. "What's your answer?"

Walt grimaced. "You're looking for the Mew Mew, right?" For a moment he thought about telling her that Roger was who she was looking for, but immediately decided that would be stupid. ("If someone sent her here to kill him, then pointing him out as the person she was looking for would be dumb.") He needed a way to get the amulet to his brother though. ("Man…I'm having trouble thinking here…")

"I won't let go until the Mew Mew comes out. I see two women, and one of them must it." Magnolia tightened the whip even more, and Roger was barely conscious now, his face blue. "He's about to die of suffocation…so hurry…"

Caitlyn wanted to scream, but Ellen's hand over her mouth muffled the noise to nothing but a quiet whimper.

Walt felt a couple of drops of sweat slide down his face. ("Damn it! Think!")

"Time's up." Magnolia touched the whip…

"Flying Dragon Kick!" A blue blur came out of nowhere and struck the woman in the side of the head with enough force to make her release the whip.

Magnolia growled and as she stumbled back she back-handed Bruce away. "Go away, you annoyance!" Then she gasped as Roger donkey-kicked her right in the chest.

Walt charged in and decked her across the face as hard as he could, hoping to stun her.

Magnolia punched him right in the head and sent him flying into Bruce, both of them landing in a heap on the ground. "Annoying little flies!" Another thorny whip formed in her hand. "I'll kill you both!"

Walt lifted his head weakly from underneath Bruce, and smiled despite the soreness in his body. "You were searching for the Mew Mew?"

Roger slowly turned to face her, the amulet held in his palm. "Let me grant your wish." Somehow, he knew exactly how to trigger it. The method didn't sound very manly, but at the moment his pride wasn't in control of his actions.

Magnolia's eyes widened slightly. "You mean…but that's…"

Roger held the amulet tightly in his palm, feeling a tingle of energy run through him. "Mew Mew Sonic, METAMOPHORSIS!" There was an explosion of sound that shook the earth around them. And where Roger had been there was now a distortion in the air in the shape of a bubble.

"But…that's not what he told me…" Magnolia stumbled back, and barely caught the fist that hit her hard enough to send her through the wall.

The distortion bubble faded to reveal Roger, except for a few differences. The first noticeable thing was that his clothing had changed from a t-shirt and jeans to a pair of black leather pants and a black leather sleeveless vest. His hair had straightened and turned a sandy brown color, along with his eyes. His ears had changed into a pair of dull red wolf ears that twitched a little as he tugged on his vest to get it readjusted to his chest.

Walt smiled slightly. "Heh…he actually looks cool now."

Bruce and Caitlyn had both gone silent, unsure of what had just happened.

"So you were…" Magnolia was silenced by a kick that sent her through the wall again.

Mew Sonic turned and walked over to Caitlyn slowly. "You cried?"

Flushing tomato red, the girl wiped her eyes immediately. "Of course not! Who would cry over an idiot like you?"

Mew Sonic smiled and nodded. "Yeah, who would? Now excuse me." Turning, he walked over towards Magnolia, who looked incredibly irritated at the fact she had been knocked through the same wall twice in less than a minute. "I have to go handle something."

Magnolia snapped her whip around her rapidly to create a moving barrier of thorns. "You won't knock me through another wall…"

"You're right." Mew Sonic reached out, little motes of light gathering around his hand. "I don't know who sent you, and honestly I don't care. However…" He snarled and bared his fangs. "I won't let you look down on me!"

"What are you gong to do about it?" Magnolia snapped the end of the whip towards him, the tip of it having hardened into a spear-like shape.

"Come on out, Sonic Jammer!" Mew Sonic yanked his hand up, the motes of light forming into a sand-colored guitar that released a burst of sound energy which stopped the whip spear. "I'm going to get rid of you."

"Is that for certain?" Magnolia coiled the whip around her arm and tapped where a human's heart would be on her chest. "Alright, I'll be sporting just for you. I'll give you a free shot."

Ellen's eyes widened. ("A free shot? Please…Roger…use the Jammer. Don't try to beat her with your…")

Mew Sonic's fingers slid up and down along the strings of the Sonic Jammer, energy building at the head of the instrument. "Sonic Wolf's Howl!" An explosive blast of sound energy hurtled from the end of the Sonic Jammer towards Magnolia like a cannonball.

Magnolia's eyes went huge. ("That attack is serious!") Then it exploded into her, creating a huge shockwave that nearly leveled every wall around the backyard.

Mew Sonic planted the butt of the Sonic Jammer into the ground and gave the victory sign at the dust cloud his attack had created.

Walt just continued to lay there, his eyes twitching at the victory pose his brother was doing. ("You looked cool…why do something so dumb and ruin it?")

Caitlyn's mouth was hanging open, and her eyes were wide. "That was incredible…that was…"

Mew Sonic turned and gave her a thumbs-up. "See, each and every one of us has our secrets."

Walt sighed…and then gasped as he saw something shoot out of the cloud. "Eyes front, stupid!"

Mew Sonic turned in time to feel the spiky thorns of Magnolia's whip pierce into his neck. ("She's still alive?") Snarling again, he snapped the Sonic Jammer up and knocked the whip away. "You're a persistent weed, aren't…" His pupils contracted to pin-points and he dropped face-first to the ground.

"Roger!" Walt managed to get up and started to run over to his brother. Then he skidded to a stop as Magnolia's whip struck the ground in front of him.

Mew Sonic started to stand up, until Magnolia's spiked heel dropped down against the small of his back. ("I can't move…")

"You're my prisoner." Magnolia started to laugh wildly. "It's all over for you. All of you…"

Walt grimaced, feeling the drops of sweat on his forehead multiply rapidly. ("She's right…now what can we do?")

_To be continued…_


	5. Rivals and Friends

Disclaimer: No I do not own Mew Mew Tokyo.

Five Elements; The American Mew Mews

Chapter 3: Rivals and friends; one in the same

_Walt sighed…and then gasped as he saw something shoot out of the cloud. "Eyes front stupid!"_

_Mew Sonic turned in time to feel the spiky thorns of Magnolia's whip pierce into his neck. ("She's still alive?") Snarling again, he snapped the Sonic Jammer up and knocked the whip away. "You're a persistent weed, aren't…" His pupils contracted to pin-points and he dropped face-first to the ground._

"_Roger!" Walt managed to get up and started to run over to his brother. Then he skidded to a stop as Magnolia's whip struck the ground in front of him._

_Mew Sonic started to stand up, until Magnolia's spiked heel dropped down against the small of his back. ("I can't move…")_

"_You're my prisoner." Magnolia started to laugh wildly. "It's all over for you. All of you…"_

_Walt grimaced, feeling the drops of sweat on his forehead multiply rapidly. ("She's right…now what can we do?")_

Magnolia kicked Mew Sonic in the side a couple of times, laughing at how sad he looked. "That's what you get for making a fool out of me!" She continued to kick his ribs over and over again, ignoring the grunts of pain he gave off as the blows started to wear his strength down.

"Stop it…you're…" Caitlyn didn't want to cry…but it was just too cruel watching as this woman beat up Roger. She always had hated the fact that Roger loved to fight, but never before had she actually seen him getting the life beaten out of him without him fighting back. "He can't even fight back…please stop!"

"How?" Walt stood up and frowned, unsure how Magnolia was still alive. "He hit you with that attack…it should have destroyed you!"

("That's right.") Ellen gulped. From her limited knowledge about Mew Mews, she knew that when they used their ultimate attack it was supposed to be able to break down any kind of alien organism or biological mutations. ("His Wolf's Howl should have defeated her…unless…") "She defended herself at the last moment somehow!"

"That's right." Magnolia stopped kicking Mew Sonic and held up her whip, which suddenly retracted and wrapped around her forearm. Its bright green color turned brown and it fanned out like a leave, turning into a hardened brown shield. "I used this to shield myself from the full force of that attack. But it did hurt regardless." Her face twisted in anger and she kicked Mew Sonic in the side a couple more times. "Stupid kid! How dare you actually try to destroy me!"

"Get up already…" Walt could barely stop himself from trying to charge in and save his brother from this witch. "Get up and blast her again!"

"I…can't…" Mew Sonic gritted his teeth in pain as she kicked him in the side once more.

"It's useless." Magnolia's weapon changed from shield back to a whip. Grabbing both ends of the length of plant matter, she tugged it out and tapped one of the thorns on it with a finger. "This beautiful little weapon of mine is capable of releasing numerous different kinds of toxins, and one of my favorite is a natural paralyzing agent that is made by a rare plant from the tropics. It shuts down your body's ability to move, though it doesn't numb you to the pain."

"Damn it…" Walt was about to charge in, knowing well that he'd be killed…when he felt a sudden surge in the air. It was the kind of surge that he could feel like it was a heavy cloud descending over him.

"That's enough…" Bruce slowly stood up, his eyes closed. "Don't worry, I'll deal with her."

"Deal with me?" Magnolia cackled loudly, finding the idea of this child actually hurting her to be completely ridiculous. "What exactly can you do, boy?"

"What can I do?" Bruce concentrated, bringing his focus to his center. As a martial artist, he knew how to concentrate and let his anger go. ("I have trained hard to defeat Roger…I cannot let these circumstances change that fact. He cannot defeat her, so by beating her I will prove that I am the strongest between us.") His eyes snapped open and he charged in, body moving with surprising grace as he prepared to strike her hard enough to knock her out in one hit…he hoped.

Magnolia's eyes widened as she realized that this boy's claims might not be completely and utterly impossible. ("He's faster than a normal human…") Then her surprise faded. "However…"

Bruce threw a heavy side kick right at the woman, but he never even got close to connecting against her. She hopped over his attack, kicked his other leg out from under him to force him to the ground, and then she drove her spiked heel right into his back roughly.

"Bruce…stop it…idiot…" Mew Sonic closed his eyes and bit back the dull pain he felt from the blows to his ribs. Using all of his will, he tried to force himself to stand up. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move beyond forcing the fingers of his left hand to twitch a little. ("It's no use…even as I am now I'm not immune to those poisons she can use.")

Magnolia sighed as Bruce charged in again, and once more she slapped him away with ease. "Your speed, strength, and determination are all surprising…for a human. But regardless, you cannot defeat me, boy."

"I don't intend to win this fight! Flying Dragon Kick!" Bruce launched at the woman like a rocket, ready to drive his left foot right through her body.

Magnolia literally floated out of the way and wrapped her thorn whip around his ankle. As he kept going, the whip went taut and when it did she turned on one heel and sent him flying back the way he had come, head-first into the wall, or what was left of it. "Give up. Your brute force tactics can't work on a genetic masterpiece such as myself."

"STOP IT, BRUCE!" Mew Sonic felt his body tingle…but not in the way it had when he transformed. ("I'm losing strength…the poison must be trying to knock me unconscious. No…I can't let that happen…")

Bruce slowly stood up, a bloody red patch staining the hair on the top of his head from where he had connected with the wall. "I'm far from done!"

"Good." Magnolia snapped her whip at him, and when he dodged she appeared right above him. "I'm not done either." She fell right on top of him, heel digging into his spine with a crack and forcing him face-first to the ground.

Walt looked over at Ellen. "Take Caitlyn and go inside, right now. Call your people, and ask for help. Hurry!"

Ellen nodded and tried to pull Caitlyn inside, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't move the girl. "Come on, we have to go!"

"No, we can't just leave then to die!" The girl fought against being pulled inside, kicking and pushing against the woman's grasp. "NO!"

"Caitlyn!" Walt turned around and glared right at her. "Do you think that your being here is helping the situation?"

She froze, eyes wide. "What?"

"You heard me! Get out of the way and leave this to us!" Walt turned around and charged into the fight, hoping he could make some kind of difference. ("I can't fight very well, but by no means am I completely helpless!")

Magnolia saw the teen's approach and snapped her whip up, the sharp spear-like edge tearing towards Walt like a missile. "Don't start thinking that you can be a hero too. I'm growing annoyed with…" Her eyes widened as he rolled out of the way and continued to charge at her. "Hm? In a way you might be better than the other one…"

"Shut up and die!" Walt's fist swung towards her, and she calmly caught it, twisting his arm sharply and sending him flipping to the ground.

"I would, but there's no fun in that." Magnolia slowly turned to face the fallen Walt and then to Bruce, who was slowly standing up. "This is ridiculous…how do the two of you hope to beat me?"

"I don't intend to win." Bruce smiled slowly. "I just intend to go down fighting!"

"They call that suicide, you know." Magnolia cracked her whip a couple of times. "Well, then come and get what you wanted."

"Bruce…Walt…" Mew Sonic forced his lips to move, despite how hard it was to even talk now. "Run…please…you…"

"Shut up Grant!" Bruce snapped up one fist and looked at it intently. "You understand, don't you? You understand the feeling I have right now. It's the feeling that makes you so strong…the feeling of being the underdog during a fight."

Mew Sonic lifted his head up a little too look at the beaten and bruised form of his rival. "You…"

"I know I can't win!" Bruce wiped a bit of blood from his cheek. "Do you remember when we first met?"

"Who…could…forget?" Mew Sonic began to chuckle, but stopped as his jaw locked up from the pain of the chemical in his bloodstream.

"When you and I were younger…" Bruce completely ignored Magnolia, who was currently trying to destroy Walt with her whip. "…I made fun of you in class, and your response was to challenge me to a fight. At the time my skill was far above yours, so when we fought I easily beat you to a pulp…" His lips quirked into a bittersweet smile. "A dodgeball…a stray dodgeball came into your path…and whether out of luck or otherwise, you kicked it so hard that it connected with my nose and knocked me out."

"Yeah…good times…" Mew Sonic, even through the poison, smiled somehow.

"At that time…I thought that it was only a lucky break for you and that the next day I would defeat you. But when we fought…" Bruce looked sad as he remembered these things…as he remembered what seemed like they would be his last memories. "…you spouted out something about how you'd never let anyone look down on you, and then your skill suddenly improved. The fights from that point onward always ended up with a narrow victory for one of us."

Mew Sonic's eyes widened slightly as he remembered his exact words. ("No matter what you say about me, never call me weak or underestimate what I can do! If you do, then I'll have no choice but to kick your butt.")

Bruce nodded at the understanding that crossed his rival's face. "I say those words now! I say those words now because I understand fully what you meant…" Screaming out a battle cry, he charged towards Magnolia like a bird in flight.

And was shot down like the same bird if hit by a rifle bullet. Magnolia's whip pummeled and cut him mercilessly, and this time the toxins in it went straight to his bloodstream. "Annoying pests like you and the other one should stay out of matters between super humans." She thumbed over at Walt, who wasn't moving at all.

Mew Sonic squeezed his eyes shut and tried with all of his remaining strength to stand up. ("Please…let me wake up now…I beg you! Just give me the strength to stand and fight, just this once…")

Bruce's muscles were already locking up, but he refused to collapse yet. "I may die, but remember I didn't die a weakling."

"Shut up, stupid testosterone-fueled little brat." Magnolia slammed her knee right into his ribs and dropped him to the ground easily. "You don't know anything about what you face, do you? And you don't seem to understand that your 'rival' is now your superior. In this world, there are strong people and there are weak people. Welcome to the real world…welcome to being weak."

"You're wrong…" Bruce started to laugh weakly. "In this world there are two kinds of people. There are people who accept their fate…and there are people who fight it. Welcome to the real world…welcome to accepting your fate."

"Oh really? What is my fate?" Magnolia started to laugh loudly…

"Your fate…" His eyes started to close. "…is to lose."

"Lose huh?" Magnolia kicked him once more in the ribs. "Shut up right now…I'm tired of playing with the both of you."

"Then stop playing…" Walt slowly stood up. "Learn to accept…" He flinched at a flash of pain in his side. "…the truth. The truth is that we don't care whether you are a superhuman or not, because in the end we'll still oppose anyone who tries to look down on us…any of us…" He sneered coldly. "And at the moment…"

"Shut up already…" Mew Sonic's body twitched for a moment…and then he slowly started to move. "I think…I'm going to…throw up, all thanks to both of your…stupid speeches." Slowly, he forced himself to his knees.

"Good, I was wondering when you would get off your ass…" Walt collapsed and fell unconscious.

Magnolia grimaced as she watched Mew Sonic stand up and brush himself off. "What is this? How has my poison…"

Stretching out his muscles, the boy turned and smirked enough to show off his fangs. "Walt slipped me a little pill that is a special kind of stimulant he gets from a dealer downtown. If there's something keeping you from moving, it will force you to stand up. In my case, it's just a nice little pick me up."

Magnolia snickered and cracked her whip a couple of times. "So be it…then let's end this fight. You know that I'm better than you are, and since we're both superhumans, our power is about the same."

Mew Sonic glared at her angrily…and then disappeared.

("Where did he…") Magnolia screamed in pain as the bottom of a black boot caught her on the chin, sending her launching into the air.

"You don't seem to listen!" Mew Sonic leapt into the air above the air-born woman, and kicked her in the head with the tip of his steel-toed boots, forcing her back to earth instantly. "What part of 'don't underestimate me' didn't you understand?" As gravity pulled him back to the ground, he front-flipped and landed with his back to Magnolia, who was currently face-first in the grass. "Jeez, how stupid are you?"

She slowly stood up, laughing quietly. "That wasn't half bad."

Mew Sonic turned to face her, a slight smile across his lips. "Yeah, I knew it wouldn't hurt you that badly. Hence why I didn't care about doing it."

"What if it had killed me?" The whip at her side started to twitch and move on its own, as if it was calculating the distances it needed to stretch to reach him.

"Then I would have been disappointed. I intend to beat you as much as I possibly can before you pass out." He flashed his fangs. "And by the time I'm done, you'll be limping back to your boss!"

"We'll see." She slid her finger along one of the thorns gently and each of the thorns bloomed into red roses. "I possess many different kinds of toxin available to me, and this is one of my best. Wheel of Toxin; Sleep Pollen!" The whip flew through the air above Mew Sonic, and from each of the roses puffs of bright yellow polled poured out into the air. "Another rare group of pollen that only a special tropical flower has. All it has to do is touch your bare skin and you'll be snoring in less than ten seconds."

"Really?" Mew Sonic charged and tackled her, sending both of them into the next yard and away from the cloud of pollen. "Not if I get out of the way first!"

Magnolia yelled and kicked him in the chest with her heels. "Let me go!"

"That's fine with me!" He slammed his palm into her chest and while he stopped, she kept flying through the air until she slammed into the cement wall of Roger's neighbors, who at the time had been sunbathing on their porch. Now they both just stared at the two strangely dressed people who were squaring off in their backyard.

Mew Sonic caught the people out of the corner of his eye and he waved to them. "Hi there, mister and missus Johnson!"

"Don't ignore me!" Magnolia's whip returned to its thorny shape and she cracked it at him a couple of times.

"Who said I did?" Mew Sonic's hand suddenly snapped up and grabbed the hardened end of the whip, pulling it taut. "I never forget about an opponent when I'm in the middle of a battle!" His lips lifted a little. "Also…I never like to drag out a fight when it isn't necessary."

"What? What are you talking about?" Magnolia pulling harder, but no matter how hard she tugged the whip wouldn't come free from his hand. ("I should be stronger than him…right? What's the matter with me?")

"You played around too much…now you're tired." Mew Sonic held up his other arm and gave her one huge thumbs-down. "Now you're drained, while I'm still fairly fresh."

"Shut up!" Magnolia tugged harder on the whip. "I'll beat you regardless! I'm better made than you are!"

"Maybe so…" Mew Sonic's hand snapped out and little motes of light appeared along it. "Come on out, Sonic Jammer!" There was a blast of light, and when it cleared he held the sand-colored guitar in his free hand. "Ready for the end?" Then he disappeared, the end of the whip dropping to the ground now that it was no longer supported by him holding it.

Magnolia immediately changed her whip's shape to a shield so that she could protect herself. ("I won't let you catch me off guard with that powerful attack again.") Extending her senses to all of the plant-life around her, she immediately detected where he was hiding. ("Interesting…he's moving as fast as he possibly can to try and find some kind of opening in my defenses.")

Mew Sonic slid to a stop, flashing into sight again right where he had been standing before. Sweat was dripping down his face, and he was panting in exhaustion. ("She didn't give me a single opening.")

Magnolia stood up slowly and held up her shield. "You can't win, you know? Even though I may be tired, you're a fool. Running like that for no other reason than to find a way to blast me with your little guitar." She snickered and the shield returned to a whip. "I wonder why my boss was worried that you might possibly be a threat to us."

Mew Sonic remained silent, except for the noise of his panting as he continued to suck in air. ("I'm…not going to win like this. The only way to get rid of this lady is with the Sonic Jammer, but when I use it I feel like it takes some of my strength with it when it fires. So if I can't defeat her within two shots or so, I'll probably be too tired to fight back.")

Magnolia tapped her heel a couple of times. "You can't catch me with your little toy, can you? Then I suppose it is time to end this!" She snapped the whip back to strike.

_("Magnolia, the boss wanted me to tell you to stop attacking and return to base.")_ A cold female voice echoed within the plant woman's head.

("What? Why? I'm about to win?") Magnolia lowered her hand and the whip wrapped around her arm to become a shield again. ("I thought he wanted me to destroy the kid?")

_("I'm not entirely sure why, but I wouldn't question him if I were you_.") A very evil giggle came from whoever was contacting Magnolia. _("He seems to be in one of his moods…_")

Magnolia sighed and brushed herself off. "Perhaps another time, brat." Then she disappeared.

Mew Sonic just stood there…and then he collapsed to the ground. There was a flash of light and when it faded Roger had replaced the super-human. ("I wonder if there is a word stronger than exhausted?") Then he passed out.

_To be continued…_

_And so our 'hero' has encountered the first of the mystery man's creations. However, the question remains…what does this mystery man want from Roger, and why did he withdraw Magnolia when she had the advantage in the fight?_

To Chiomon: Thanks very much. I like the idea myself, if just because I don't think I could do an all girl team. Maybe that's just cause I'm not one myself, meh.


	6. Roger's Decision

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five Elements; The American Mew Mews

Chapter 6: Roger's Decision; Hero or not

The sounds of high heels tapping on stone echoed throughout the interior of the green house. "Boss, why did you call me back? Didn't you want me to destroy the kid?"

"I didn't want you to destroy him just yet, but you did your job fine." The shadowed form sat in front of a computer in the shadowed corner of the huge glass building. "We simply needed to make sure that he knew of our existence, and that he knew you were a threat. However, please don't let him kick you around like that again. It reflects badly on I, who created you."

"Yes sir." Magnolia bowed and turned to walk off.

"Oh, and Magnolia?"

She stopped and turned to face the man, who, while still in shadow, was now standing up with his back to the computer. "Yes sir?"

"I need to see your whip for a second. I'd like to get a little bit of tissue samples from the children you were smacking around." He chuckled quietly, mind already working with plenty of plans on how to deal with these constantly changing developments. ("Excelsior, I'll show the world that you are not going to be a part of. The age of my super human children shall soon come to pass. Unlike what Ryou Shirogane has planned, I do not intend to use this incredible genetic technology to create Mew Mews, as you call them. No, I won't be saving the planet…I'll be conquering it. And in the process, I'll destroy these aliens that threaten it too, because they will be a nuisance to me as well.") "Ivy, are you awake?"

A loud rustling came from a nearby bush. "Yes sir, what can I do for you?"

"Magnolia is going to be very busy in a short while. She'll be going with me as I pay a possible prospect of mine a visit." The man chuckled once more, ignoring the angry look on Magnolia's face as he talked about her like she wasn't in front of him at the moment.

-------------------

Roger slowly opened his eyes to gasps of "He's waking up."

Immediately, every member of the medical team that was attending him all backed away from the bed and made sure to him a wide berth. They didn't know too much about what a Mew Mew could actually do, beyond what was general knowledge.

Roger sat upright in his bed, and he looked down at the white gown that he was wearing. "Where are my clothes?" When no one answered, he tiredly shot a glare at a nearby nurse. "Well?"

"S…S….Sir….we have them….i…in…the…wash…" She looked like she was about to have a heart attack.

"What in the hell is the matter with you, lady?" Roger slid out of the covers of his bed and took in his new surroundings. The entire room was almost blindingly white, with numerous beds set up in rows. It was apparently some kind of semi-futuristic looking medical bay. "Oh good, maybe while I was unconscious the mother-ship picked me up and is planning on taking me to Mars. It would fit with what has happened so far."

"Sir, I have to request that you remain in bed! At the current moment you still are not fully recovered from the…" The doctor that had been speaking went silent when his eyes met Roger's. Something about that look nearly made him want to run from the room in fear.

"Don't tell me to lie down. I'll get back in bed when I'm sleepy." Suddenly Roger felt angry with these stupid people. They were treating him like he was some kind of incredibly dangerous animal. ("I'm just a normal junior high…") Suddenly an image of Mew Sonic flashed in his head. ("No…to them I'm nothing normal. To them I'm some kind of deadly freak of nature created by science. Dangerous and…")

"Welcome back to the land of the living." Bruce pulled back the curtain that covered his bedside area. He had bandages all over him, and he didn't look particularly happy at the moment. "Tell me, how does the 'potential risk' feel?"

"Don't you start, ass." Roger wished he could shove his hands into some pockets, but unfortunately he didn't have his favorite pants with him. Those thoughts just made him feel angry once more. "It seems like that as of lately my temper has been getting plenty of reasons to rise. So how about one of you nice medical people get me my clothes?"

The staff slowly went back to what they were doing, realizing that the fact they were all staring at him made him feel irritable. One of the nurses ran off to go and collect the boy's clothes as well.

"So, what happened after I passed out?" Roger sat down at Bruce's bedside and tried to make small-talk, not wanting to think too much about what he had been through.

"I'm not quite sure myself. Some guys showed up and carried us all off. Actually, Walt is in the bed next to me, though he hasn't woken up yet." The Asian boy laced his fingers together and frowned, seeming to be deep in thought. "Caitlyn is here too, though she went off with that blond woman awhile ago." He turned his head to look at Roger. "She was crying by your bedside while you were still all bruised up, you know?"

"I'd be surprised if she wasn't." Roger wasn't in the mood to listen to someone else's talk about how Caitlyn cared about what happened to him. He hated it so much, because he knew that he wasn't worth her caring. ("If I die, then so what? As long as I go out with no regrets, what's there to worry about?") Shaking himself out of that line of thought, he sighed. "On that note, I'd like to share something with you."

"Oh? What's that?" Bruce leaned his head in, wondering if it was going to be some kind of whispered secret…

Everyone on that floor of the facility heard the nearly earth-shattering punch that Roger landed on Bruce's face. "Don't ever do that again!"

Everyone in the medical bay stared at Roger, their subconscious fears of him multiplied now. Bruce just sat in stunned silence, a huge bruise on his right cheek.

"If you ever risk your life to save my stupid ass again, then I'll make sure that we both die together! You idiot! What were you thinking you could do against someone like that lady?" Roger stood up and continued to scream in Bruce's face, not even noticing that his ears had changed and his tail was now showing through the back of the gown. "I couldn't beat her, so what makes you think that you could? You stupid idiot!"

Bruce froze at the second to last sentence that Roger had said. "What did you…"

"You heard me! I said you're weak compared to that woman! What are you going to do about it? Are you going to fight me? Are you going to try and defeat me too, regardless of the fact that I'll just transform and beat your sorry ass into kingdom come?" Roger was more than angry…he was nearly beyond reasoning at this point. Now he just wanted a reason to pound Bruce into the earth as hard as possible. "I can't even begin to explain why what you did made me mad!"

Bruce's fist clenched up and he swung right at Roger's head as hard as he could. "I'll kill you!"

"Roger!" The door to the room slid open to reveal Caitlyn, still wearing the same dress and shirt that she had on before. "You're okay!"

The moment she was in sight, Roger completely forgot about Bruce. And the punch never even got close, because he stepped away from the bed and walked over to her.

Bruce was now face-first on the cold tile, the force of his punch sending him over the edge of the bed.

"You're okay…I'm so glad." Caitlyn smiled…and then blinked as she noticed the fact that Roger's ears were now long, furry, and red. Then she saw the red tail swinging out of the back of his gown. "Ummm…"

Roger didn't see any point in hiding it from her. She had seen him transform already. "Yeah, this is the real me. Some crazy stuff happened involving genetics…"

"I already know. Ellen told me." The girl sighed. "You can't help but get into situations you can't deal with, can you?"

"Shut your trap." He blushed and turned away. "I can handle these new abilities just fine!"

"Is that so?" She smirked wryly and turned away. "It didn't seem that way before, when I first got there. Why did you get so embarrassed when Ellen thought I was your girlfriend?"

Roger turned a brilliant shade of red. "I…I…"

"Could you all please keep your voices down," Walt said through the curtain that went all the way around his bedside. "I'm trying to catch up on my beauty sleep."

"We can't be silent for years, so just come out as you are now." Roger turned his normal color again, more than glad to have someone to focus on besides Caitlyn. She would always put him in those situations. ("She must just love to see me blush.")

There was the hiss of the door as it opened once more, and a trio of people walked in, the first of which had Roger immediately on alert.

"Aizen?" The boy snarled darkly, though his ears and tail had returned to normal.

Indeed, the first of the trio was the man that Roger remembered all too well from just the other night. "Yes…" The professor took off his glasses and wiped them clean with a cloth. "I…I wish to apologize for my actions the other evening."

"Apologize?" Roger closed his eyes and thought something with all of his will. ("Mew Mew Sonic, METAMORPHOSIS!") When he opened his eyes and saw that he was normal, he paled. "I don't believe you. You're insane…"

Another the trio was a huge balding man in a lab coat. "That's enough. Professor Aizen…" He frowned and stepped forward, as if noticing Roger for the first time. After looking at the boy for a few moments, he turned back to the third member of the group he had come in with. "Is this really him?"

The third member stepped into view slowly. "Yes…that's him." Ellen flushed red at the dark glare that Roger threw at her. ("What did I do? If it wasn't for me he would probably still be paralyzed.")

Aizen rubbed the back of his red hair in embarrassment. "Yes, I deserve all of your anger. At that time I was not in my right mind…"

"It's alright, Aizen." The huge man stepped in just a little closer to Roger, and the boy immediately stepped back to put more distance between them. Something about the man gave him the creeps. "I am Professor Excelsior, the head of research at this facility."

"And why should I care?" Roger crossed his arms across his chest and stood calmly, not impressed by the man's size.

"You should care because without my help you won't be able to transform into Mew Sonic and help your friends, should they need you again." When Roger didn't give him any back-talk, he continued. "Aizen, during that evening, had a special chemical in his bloodstream that can cause the subject to be easily open to certain suggestions. Therefore, we have forgiven him for his transgressions."

Roger shrugged it off. Honestly, he didn't care that much about Aizen, since the guy was now normal again. There was still just that little mental itch that needed scratching at the moment, the itch to fight. ("I must have been out longer than I thought…")

Excelsior sighed, his deep voice heavy with worry. "Here's the deal, Roger. I may not like the current situation, but the best way for damage control to be done is if you work for us."

"Sorry, I don't work for anybody." Roger turned away and suddenly noticed that Bruce was gone from his bed, and Walt's curtain was moved to reveal his brother wearing his normal clothing, hair perfect as always.

"It's not that kind of work. At the moment we have the city under surveillance in case another creature like Magnolia attacks, but even if we detect it there is nothing we will be able to do about it…" Excelsior placed a hand on Roger's shoulder. "You however, can do something about it. You possess the necessary power to defeat even the strongest enemies."

"Thanks for the compliment, but what's in it for me?" Roger knocked the hand away and frowned coldly, not liking the idea of being someone's watchdog.

"Well? What do you want?" Excelsior seemed infinitely patient with Roger's behavior, where a normal adult might have lost their temper by now.

Roger held up a hand and walked over to Walt slowly. Leaning in to his brother, he spoke quietly. "What should I ask for?"

Walt shrugged, though in his mind he was screaming 'money'. "Not a clue, it's your choice after all, superhero.

Roger frowned at his brother and walked over to Caitlyn, placing a hand on his hip and tilting his head to the side at the angry look on her face. "What are you glaring at?"

She smacked him in the face, though he barely reacted to it. "You'll wind up destroying the city! You can't do this, if just for that reason. I saw how much damage you and that other woman did…you'll wind up ruining people's homes…" Her eyes started to water.

Roger winced. "Listen, it isn't like I'm into destroying stuff, but sometimes you just have to throw someone through a wall."

The girl went silent and looked away. "Fine, do whatever you want."

Roger sat down cross-legged on the cold tile and closed his eyes, going into thought.

Excelsior stood there like a statue, his eyes locked on Roger's form. "Well, have you come to a decision?"

"Yeah." Standing up and brushing the back of his gown off, the boy held up three fingers. "Firstly, I want money…"

Walt silently cheered.

"…to be used for the repairs made by any of my battles."

And then Walt cried. Caitlyn, on the other hand, seemed happy now.

Excelsior nodded. "We have subsidiary companies, so that is within our power. What else?"

"Secondly," Roger held up two fingers now. "I'll deal with the problems presented in my own method, so don't try and order me around." When Excelsior nodded once more, he held up a single finger. "Thirdly, for the love of god, please change how the amulet looks. I don't care about the shape, but yellow and pink?"

The last demand left Excelsior smiling. "Very well, all three of your demands will be met. From this point onward, Ellen will be living at your house so that you always have someone know ledged in the methods of genetic mutations on hand."

Ellen face-fell from right behind her boss. "What are you talking about Professor? How can I…"

"Until we have retrieved the case, I don't expect any arguments from you, miss White." Excelsior turned and walked out, Aizen following him and leaving Ellen in the room with the other three.

Roger smiled widely. "I actually think I might start to like that guy."

_To be continued…_

_And so now Roger Grant is working as a 'superhero' to protect the people of his city from whoever is making genetic monsters like Magnolia. This brings up a good question though…can he do it all alone?_

_Author's Note: Hey there readers, just wanted to say hello and ask how well I am doing so far on this story. I noticed that the number of hits I was getting was going up, so I thought I may as well ask for a progress report from you guys on how my writing is._


	7. Mysterious Gunman

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five Elements; The American Mew Mews

Chapter 7: Mysterious Gunman; Mew Terra

A small group of birds chirped and danced about in the morning sunlight through the branches of the nearby trees around the Grant home.

Ellen sighed as she poked her head into the living room. Roger was just lying on the couch, watching the television with a dead expression on his face as he blew through channel after channel. "Why don't you go outside or something? Maybe you could go train, since you never know when you might need to go to work."

The boy ignored her as he shoveled more popcorn into his mouth.

"Just because it's Sunday, you're acting like a sloth." Sighing, she turned and walked back into the kitchen. Looking at the stacks of dirty dishes, there was a moment of depression in her heart. ("How did I go from being the assistant of a great genetics professor to a housemaid in the course of one day?") "Why don't you go outside and do something, anything!"

"Because the television is just too fun." Roger flicked through more channels, looking anything but amused at the moment. ("This is such boring entertainment. I'm seriously wondering whether or not to take her advice and actually head outside. No Sunday cartoons on in the afternoon, just infomercials and talk shows.") Then he flicked across the local new channel and smiled slightly, his cynical side getting a little perk from what it saw. "Good, there's breaking news. Maybe some kind of horrible disaster?"

"…_at the moment the robbers' demands haven't been unidentified, but all the police can do is wait for their demands."_ The man sitting at the news desk continued to speak as a picture of a bus parked in middle of a major street in front of a bank could be seen. _"If you are just joining us, a group of bank robbers have robbed the head branch of the national bank in town. Upon trying to escape, their original method was cut off by the police, and as such they were forced to take a passing bus full of passengers hostage. At the moment it is a standoff between these men and the police…wait, one of the men seems to be coming out of the bus."_

Roger sat up on the couch and stared at the screen, rubbing his chin. "Hmmm…so what's the deal? There's a bunch of robbers that's holding a lot of people hostage. Maybe I should go help them." Then he decided he was too lazy. ("The police can handle it.")

Ellen poked her head into the living room. "Oh yeah, Caitlyn called you."

"Caitlyn called me?" Roger rolled his eyes. "Let me guess, she asked me if I wanted to go shopping with her, right?"

"Yes…" Ellen frowned and threw an apple at him, which smacked into the back of his head. "Why are you so flippant about that girl? It seems to be amazing that there is any girl who actually cares about you, you slob."

"Shut up." Roger took a bite out of the apple, something nagging at the back of his head. ("What is the matter with me? Why do I have this feeling that I am missing something?")

"…_our demands are simple…"_

("Maybe something about Caitlyn?") Frowning a little more, Roger took another bite out of the fruit.

"…_we want a method out of the city limits as soon as possible. If you don't meet our demands within the hour, we'll start killing the hostages one by one. And just to let you know we'll mean business…"_ The voice on the TV continued to speak, until Roger threw the rest of his apple at it.

"Shut up, stupid thing. I'm trying to…" Roger did a double take as he looked at the image on the screen. ("Bus number 355…that's the bus that Caitlyn takes to get to the…mall…") His mind registered the picture on the screen, of a man covered up from head to toe in heavy bullet-proof armor. And locked in a headlock, with a gun to her head…was Caitlyn, tears dripping down her face.

"GAH!"

Ellen heard a loud crashing noise from the living room and sighed. ("That stupid kid probably tripped over something…") Poking her head into the room again, her eyes widened at the fact that Roger was staring at the screen in horror. "What's the…matter?"

"C…C…" Roger had to do something…because somehow he knew this was his fault. ("It's like everyone that has anything to do with me winds up being in danger! Why am I cursed like this?") He pounded his fists into the table as he realized there was something he could do. "I have to go and…" A loud gunshot came from the TV, and his mind froze. ("No…")

Ellen walked in and looked at the TV too, her eyes wide. "Oh my goodness…it's…"

Roger slowly turned to look at the screen, and his eyes widened. ("What in the…")

------------------------

Caitlyn had treated today like any other day. She woke up in the morning, did her morning exercises, and then got ready to go hang out at the mall. And like always, Roger didn't even answer his phone when she called to ask if he wanted to come.

Then things had gone badly when a bunch of men with guns stormed into the bus she was on, yelling at everyone to get on the ground. It was when one of the men grabbed her out of her seat and dragged her outside that she truly got frightened…

When he had said he was going to kill her, she felt both fear and sadness…

But now she felt only confusion. She had heard the gunshot, but yet she wasn't dead. There wasn't even any pain. ("What…") Her eyes opened as she felt the lock on her head go loose.

The robber collapsed to the ground, his eyes glazed over in unconsciousness. A pair of boots clicked on the pavement, the only background noise to the surreal scene. The man looked to be out cold, but she had heard a gunshot…

A single form seemed to walk past the policemen and their blockades like they weren't there. Its right hand spun something on its ring finger so fast that it was a blur to everyone's eyes. Then the person's hand snapped down and they heard the sound of metal on leather.

Caitlyn was having a bit of trouble understanding what exactly was happening in front of her. There was a man wearing a pair of leather chaps, along with a leather jacket which hem went down to his calves that was approaching her slowly. His jackets collar was surrounded by a layer of fur, and he wore a cowboy hat. ("Is…this some kind of movie scene for a weird western?")

The man continued his approach, unafraid of the guns that were trained on him from the window of the bus. ("So, these boys wanted to take this entire bus as a hostage?") He tugged slightly on the piece of cloth that was his mask, which hid his lower face from view. Then his dark brown eyes glanced over the area around him for a few moments.

"Stop right there, hero!" A man from inside the bus yelled out. "If you don't stop, then we'll kill the girl, along with ten more hostages."

The man continued his approach slowly, the two dark brown fox ears that were in the place of his normal ears flicking a little. "I can tell by the sound of your voice that you won't try that, because you're afraid of how I managed to shoot your friend with such accuracy from such a distance using just a pair of revolvers." Brushing back his jacket he revealed a pair of shining silver revolvers that were hanging at his hip. "The real question is…are any of you fast enough or good enough at the draw?"

"Screw this, just kill the girl!" The sound of a weapon being cocked could be heard from inside.

The man's hands were like a blur for a moment, and then a window of the bus shattered inwards. There was the sound of a gasp, and then there was a loud thud noise as someone on board collapsed to the ground.

"I would advise that none of you try anything at all. I can hear and see all of your movements." The man was now standing just ten feet from the bus' windows, his eyes locked on the silhouettes inside. "Well? Feel like surrendering?"

"Screw you!" There was a loud screeching noise as the tires of the bus turned rapidly, the whole vehicle tearing down the street and ramming right through a blockade.

"I thought as much, stupid fools." Brushing back his coat again, the man took a deep breath. "Terra Fox Storm!" Then both revolvers were lifted, and the entire vehicle shook as it was filled with holes…too many to have been caused by just a pair of pistols.

A loud trio of pop noises could be heard as the tires of the bus blew out and it careened out of control into a wall.

Caitlyn just stood there, staring at the man with complete surprise in her eyes. "Who are you?"

"Me?" The man casually flicked one of his ears. "Obviously, I'm Mew Terra."

"Mew…Terra?" Then a picture of Roger's transformed self flashed in her mind. ("That must…but…")

------------------------

Ellen stared at the screen, Roger having left long ago to try and get there as quickly as humanly possible. "Another Mew Mew? But how, unless he works for the man who created Magnolia…but that can't be possible. If that was true, then he wouldn't be helping us out, would he?"

Her cell phone rang and she glanced at the caller ID, immediately answering. "Yes sir, I'm watching it right now. Roger is already on the way."

------------------------

The doors to the bus opened slowly and five men came running out of it as quickly as they could to get away from the crazy man with the guns. He had fired into the bus like he didn't care what happened to the hostages, and they didn't want to be around when he started firing again.

They made it about twenty feet before they heard a loud crunch noise of a fist punching through a nearby concrete wall. All at once they turned and stared at a strange guy who was standing across the street, his fist in the wall. He was wearing an all leather get-up, and his sand-colored eyes were trained on all of them like a wolf on its prey. "You were the guys who put a gun to Caitlyn's head…like her life wasn't worth anything…" A deep guttural growl escaped his lips and he withdrew his fist from the wall. "Let me repay the favor!"

"Kill him!" All at once they lifted their guns…

But their target was no longer there. He was standing amongst them, his hands resting on two different shoulders and literally crushing them with his grip. "Don't even waste my time!" Then his hands snapped up and struck both men in the side of the head, knocking them unconscious instantly.

Gasping, the remaining three realized that he had moved just in time to catch either a boot or a fist to the face, dropping them all at once.

Mew Sonic slowly stood up and brushed himself off. "Stupid fools…wasting my time. They should have just given up." He turned and walked around the broken bus, since he didn't give a damn about the people inside it. There was only one person that he actually cared about at the moment. "Yo Caitlyn, are you alright?"

Caitlyn flushed red as her brain caught up to what was happening. "Uh…yeah, I'm okay. That's for asking, mysterious stranger."

Mew Sonic rolled his eyes at that. She was trying to play along with the silly little 'superhero' thing that she believed he was. ("Yeah right.")

Mew Terra chuckled calmly and turned his head to look right at the other superhuman. "So…it's nice to meet you. Now then…" His hands snapped up to point the barrel of one of his revolvers to Caitlyn's head with amazing speed. "Freeze right there or she dies."

Caitlyn froze up, and the approaching policemen all did the same. Mew Sonic just kept walking though…his eyes locked on Mew Terra's.

"Did I not say it properly? Freeze or she dies." Mew Terra pressed the barrel of the weapon against the girl's head for emphasis, while Caitlyn just trembled at the fact that her sudden savior was now using her for the same purpose.

Mew Sonic slowly narrowed his eyes, but kept approaching. "Let me answer your threat with one of my own. If I see that trigger finger start to move, then you'll never be able to use those shooting hands of yours ever again, got it?" For a few moments their eyes truly met, and lightning crashed between them…

And at that time Caitlyn kicked back as hard as she could, catching Mew Terra right in the groin. Despite being a superhuman, he was still a male and therefore was immediately stunned. Using that opportunity, she quickly ran over and leapt behind Mew Sonic.

The non-stunned superhuman smiled slowly, showing his fangs. "Nicely done." Inwardly, he was snickering calmly because that was exactly the plan that he and Caitlyn had come up with in the past. There had been times before when she had been used as a hostage, and after the first time they worked out a system to get her out of that situation. "Now then mystery man, you have one of two choices. Either you can surrender, or I'll bash your face in and then you'll surrender."

Mew Terra regained his focus quickly…and started to chuckle helplessly. "I should have seen that coming. Pedestrians these days tend to know martial arts, huh?" Holstering his drawn revolver, he bowed to Mew Sonic, and then leapt to the top of the back in one bound. "We'll meet again." Spinning around, he ran out of sight.

Mew Sonic pondered chasing him down, but then decided against it. ("He's pretty quick. Honestly, even if I did catch him the fact that he has long range weapons puts me at a pretty big disadvantage.") Turning to look behind him, he smiled slightly and scooped Caitlyn up his arms, whispering so that only she could hear him. "Well, I may as well take you freaking shopping to make sure that mystery man doesn't come back and try to use you again."

Caitlyn blushed at how he so casually had just swept her off her feet, but she didn't argue as he followed the same path as Mew Terra, up onto the roof of the bank and then off towards the mall at incredible speeds.

----------------------------------------

Night had come and gone, and the Mensing household had a day like any others.

Bruce Mensing sat knee-deep in the pool that was in the middle of his family's backyard, which had been worked to look just like a Japanese garden. ("I must concentrate…I must focus and amplify my power with my mind. Soon, I will surpass Grant's abilities and defeat him with the power of my almighty battle spirit.") "I will win the next time he and I meet on the field of battle."

"Is that so?" A very calm voice echoed out from nearby, by the wall of the backyard. "Actually, if you fight him as you are now then you'll be completely and utterly destroyed."

Bruce immediately was standing, his guard up as quickly as humanly possible. "Who's there?" Spinning around to look at the spot where the voice was coming from, he realized that no one was in the backyard. They were talking across from the wall.

"Just consider me a fan of your fighting." The man's voice spoke warmly, as if he was speaking to an old friend. "I just wanted to present you with an offer that would give you power like Grant's, if that is what you wanted."

Bruce scoffed and looked away. "I won't accept any kind of boost that will make me stronger than him. I'll win without any crutches!"

"Crutches?" The man's laughter picked up in volume. "No no, you misunderstand me boy. I don't intend to make you stronger than him at all, only to level the playing field. His superhuman abilities give him an advantage that nothing normal can match, but what happens if I give you a way to make it so his superhuman powers were no longer a clear advantage for him? That would make it so that only the strongest fighter would win."

"That's very true…" Bruce's lips quirked into a small smile. "Alright, keep talking."

_To be continued…_

_And so another Mew has shown themselves, but because of his chaotic actions it is hard to tell whether he is on the side of the mysterious man who created Magnolia, or Mew Sonic's side. And after that, Bruce is visited by a strange person who offers him a chance to fight Mew Sonic on equal ground. What will his choice be…and will it prove fatal for Roger?_


	8. Rival's Retribution Part 1

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five Elements: The American Mews

Chapter 8: Rival's Retribution (Part 1)

A cold wind blew through the empty Johnson Junior High school's football field, biting into anything that wasn't properly protected against its icy chill.

Roger dead-panned right at the puff of his own black hair that was now dangling right in his eyes. To help keep the cold off of him he wore a heavy winter coat and a normal pair of jeans. ("It's sooo early. Doesn't Bruce think that maybe this can all wait?") He had been having such a nice dream too, but then he'd received a call from Bruce at about five in the morning, challenging him to a fight at the school's football field in one hour. ("Does he actually think a fight between me and him will last an hour and a half? Psh…")

As he sat on the ice-cold metal of the football stands, his mind wandered back to the events of yesterday afternoon. ("Mew Terra…that's what Caitlyn said his name was. But if he is a Mew Mew, then why did he suddenly pull a gun on her? And more importantly, who does he work for?")

Glancing down at the newspaper he had grabbed on the way to the school, he chuckled at the title. It was a camera shot of Mew Sonic and Mew Terra facing off, with Caitlyn right behind Mew Sonic. "Mysterious Costumed Pair Stop Robbers." It was funny how the newspapers thought that he and the other guy was just a pair of good Samaritans who liked to dress up. ("And Caitlyn just keeps referring to Mew Sonic as a superhero too, dumb girl.") Crumpling up the paper, he threw it aside and crossed his legs, trying to keep himself from freezing over while he waited for Bruce to arrive.

"I've been hoping to find you here as soon as I had arrived." The loud voice of Bruce came from the top of the stands, instantly bringing Roger to his feet so he was facing his rival. "It's good to see you, Grant. This will be our last fight."

Yawning, Roger didn't notice anything special about Bruce. It was the same overly honorable fool as always, except that he was wearing a white and gold kung fu shirt and pants, which was surprising because he normally didn't wear those things to school. There was one other thing that was surprising, and that was that Bruce's eyes looked tired, as if he hadn't slept a wink last night. "Wow, what were you doing all night?"

"Closing and surpassing the line set by you." The boy slowly walked down the steps towards Roger, his tired smile strangely calm. "Let's begin, before Caitlyn or anyone else interferes. This fight won't be half-assed. By the end of it, one of us will be down."

Roger hopped over the chain-link fence that separated the stands from the field and walked out to the middle of it, stripping off his jacket and cracking his knuckles. "That's fine with me. So you don't want me to hold back then?"

"Right." Bruce hopped over the fence and followed, stopping when there was about ten feet of distance between the two of them. "The rules are simple. There are no rules beyond fight as you must." His voice held a malice that Roger had never heard before.

("This should be quick.") Roger flexed his arm muscles to wake them up, his gray t-shirt stretching as his whole body seemed to awaken at once. "I'm ready if you are."

"Good." Then Bruce attacked, flying at the other boy like a rocket with one of his Flying Dragon Kicks. Roger side-stepped and got ready to kick his hip, but Bruce immediately slammed his foot into the ground and slid away, leaving them exactly where they had started.

Roger sighed quietly. "I'd be impressed if not for the fact that your attack wouldn't have hit me unless I made a mistake. Try again."

Bruce slowly turned his head to face his opponent directly, eyes cold. "Very well! I come!" Then he was moving, unleashing a flurry of punches nearly too fast for the normal person to see.

But Roger wasn't the normal person. He continued to skip backwards to avoid getting pummeled, though his eyes were now showing he was completely awake. ("Why is he so serious about ending this now? I thought we'd do a little build-up before the big climax came.") For a split second his mind pondered the possibility of turning into Mew Sonic, but then he immediately chastised himself for it. ("What's the matter with me? I might not have much of an honor code, but that's just screwed up if I did transform and beat his face in.")

Bruce immediately switched from punch to kick, trying to obliterate Roger in one full-force blow. But no matter how hard he kicked, there wasn't even a slight chance he would connect. ("I'm too tired…I didn't get any sleep last night, and therefore my strength and skill levels aren't enough to even challenge.") Grimacing, he back-flipped about fifty feet back. "Grant!"

"What?" Roger stuck his hands into his pockets, still not taking this completely seriously. He knew that Bruce was drained already. "Seriously, just go get some sleep and we'll do it tommorow."

"Never! You have insulted my code, so now we end this here!" Bruce snapped up his hand rapidly and pointed right at Roger's face. "I must see the truth…which of us can be the strongest."

Roger glanced around the area to make sure no was watching, and then he held up something that looked a little bit like a wrist-watch. "I think this little device lets me become stronger than you could possibly be." He had gotten it from Excelsior on request for something that wasn't as girly as that silly transformation amulet. With it, he could transform to Mew Sonic with the push of a button.

Bruce's lips lifted into a cold smile. "Show me…prove to me that you are stronger! I won't accept anything but your best, Grant!"

Roger scoffed and shook his head. "I refuse to beat you to half-death. Instead, I'll beat you to a quarter dead."

Bruce frowned and held up a finger. "No. I refuse to have any warm up with you. We'll go at it with all of our power right now."

"No, we won't. I refuse to kill you." Roger snarled, trying to appear calm. "Do you just want to die that badly?"

"Yes…yes I do." Bruce held up something he had taken out of his pants pocket. It was some kind of black coin. "However, I don't think I'll lose to you this time!"

Roger's eyes narrowed slowly. "What is that?"

"It is my future…and yours as well!" Bruce flipped the item into the air, light catching off of the dark surface and blinding Roger momentarily. "Mew Mew Pyro, METAMORPHISIS!"

("What?") Roger's eyes snapped open and then shut slightly as an explosion of fire erupted from the ground around Bruce's feet, consuming the boy. ("That can only mean…")

From within the fire, Bruce's clothing seemed to dissolve for a moment…and then it was replaced by a similar set-up of martial artist's clothing, except this set-up was inferno-red. "You see…" Lifting up his hands, he bared his new fangs as a pair of inferno-red wristbands appeared on him. "…I have come across the power to…" As he spoke his hair and eyes both turned a strange white-silver color. "…destroy you!" His ears shifted into a strange pair of orange rounded feline ones, and then the fire exploded to full life, removing him from sight.

Roger just stood there, sweat sliding down his face from the heat of the flames. ("This is just beautiful…")

The fire suddenly disappeared, leaving Mew Pyro standing there with his silver hair being blown about in the wind. "Well, are you going to become Mew Sonic?" His lips lifted to reveal his new fangs again. "Or do you think you can handle this tiger without the help of your other form?"

Roger grimaced and held up his wrist-device, flicking open the cover on the button that triggered the transformation and pressing it down roughly. "Fine, let's do this! Mew Mew Sonic, METAPMORPHOSIS!" There was an explosion of sound that shook the field. It tore away at Roger's clothing for a moment, and then he was wearing a pair of black leather pants and a black sleeveless leather vest. His eyes locked onto Mew Pyro's and then they changed to a sand color. His hair followed, dropping across his shoulders as it instantly straightened. "I don't know how you got that power, but I won't let you use it as you please!" A pair of dull red wolf ears popped up from his head and the sound ball cleared, leaving Mew Sonic standing across Mew Pyro.

Mew Pyro licked his lips and cracked his knuckles once more. "How lovely it is to be on equal grounds with you again. I spent all night training in this form to get used to it, so now I'll be ready to face you as if nothing were different at all."

"So we should just disregard the superpowers and all, huh?" Mew Sonic sighed. "You're an idiot, Bruce."

"Silence, Grant!" The Asian boy slowly slid into a fighting stance. "The battle between us begins in full right now. Are you ready to give it your all?"

"Shut up and fight!" Mew Sonic flashed out of sight and appeared directly behind Mew Pyro. ("Now I'll try a one hit KO so that we don't…")

Mew Pyro smiled slightly and faded away. "Not good enough." Then he was behind Mew Sonic, landing a head kick that sent the other boy flying away at rapid speed. "Nowhere near good enough!"

Mew Sonic bounced along the ground rapidly, grunting in pain as he tore up hunks of grass with his body. ("Okay…he's just as fast as me. Right…don't forget that.") Then he continued to go into an insane roll backwards until he slammed back-first into the goal post at his end of the field.

Mew Pyro calmly approached, his hands flexing over and over again. "Now then…" A calm smile crossed his face at the satisfying grunt he heard from Mew Sonic. "I want you to stand up and actually make me try. Don't look down on me, you know it."

"Shut up already, loud-mouthed punk." Mew Sonic stood up and cracked his back a couple of times. "Now then, I'll tear you apart!" Roaring, he charged right at his longtime rival. ("It doesn't matter whether or not you think you can beat him. You've done it before, and you've been a Mew Mew longer than he…") His thoughts were shattered as a blow strong enough to bend steel hit his neck. There was a loud pop as his neck twisted sharply and his entire body was sent flying back into the goal post again.

Mew Pyro just stood there and crossed his arms across his chest. "Hm…very stupid of you to run at me like that…or is it possible…" He looked very surprised now. ("Could it be possible that I am actually stronger than he is? Amazing…in just one night…")

Mew Sonic slowly stood up, a huge bruise on his right cheek. ("God damn, what kind of hit was that?") Cracking his knuckles, he growled from deep within his throat. "I'll beat you…bastard…"

"Really?" Mew Pyro flashed out of sight and appeared directly behind Mew Sonic, his arms locking his rival's neck in a choke-hold. "Can you actually keep up with my movements? Or perhaps you're just not quite as strong as you wished?"

"Shut you mouth…" Mew Sonic struggled, but only succeeded in causing his damaged neck to pop again. ("What's wrong with me? Why can't I fight him?")

"Heh…it's said that when one surpasses their enemies, they will become sloppy." Mew Pyro released his enemy from the chokehold and punched him right in the spine. "I, however, don't believe in such a possibility."

Letting out an angered gasp of pain, Mew Sonic stumbled forward and collapsed face-first to the dirt.

"Let's end this now, shall we?" Mew Pyro's fists started to glow. "Inferno…"

("Why can't I keep up with him? Was there really such a power difference between Bruce and I when we were normal human beings?") Mew Sonic's eyes slowly cracked open and he thought hard as to what this all meant. ("Why am I so afraid?")

Mew Pyro stopped his building energy as he heard something that he had never heard before from his rival. It sounded a little bit like crying, but he couldn't tell because he couldn't see Mew Sonic's face. "Stand up and cleanse your tears. If you surrender then…"

Mew Sonic's legs spun around and he came to his feet, eye locked on Mew Pyro's. "I've had enough." His entire body seemed to flicker with an energy that quickly budded into a weak aura that covered him. It was golden, and it shimmered like it was alive. "If you want my best, then take it!"

Mew Pyro felt his entire body shudder as the fact he was dead tired caught up to him. ("What's…") Then he saw Mew Sonic move, but it was too fast to counter. ("…this energy?")

"You just…" Mew Sonic slammed blow after blow to Mew Pyro's face. "…couldn't stop yourself, could you?" Then he was moving, locking Mew Pyro's head under one arm and running right at the goal post. "I'll show you why your stupid honor code means nothing to a street fighter!" Then he drove Mew Pyro's head right into the goal post, the whole metal pole denting. He did it again and again, until it finally collapsed and crashed to the grass.

Mew Pyro felt blood in his eyes, but something about this energy was tool violent…too strong…

Mew Sonic released his opponent's head and upper-cutted him, forcing him to stand. "Here's another serving of that best you wanted!" Then he pounded away at Mew Pyro's stomach like it was a punching bag, landing blow after stone-breaking blow. "Come on, what's the matter? I thought you wanted more!"

Mew Pyro dropped to his knees and clutched at his stomach, unable to find words. ("What is this? How is he suddenly so much stronger than me?")

Mew Sonic's foot kicked up and crashed into Mew Pyro's chin, forcing him straight again. "I didn't say that I was done!" He pummeled away again, using his fists and striking that same already tenderized stomach.

("This isn't the Roger I remember…even when he was violent…") Mew Pyro barely caught a blur of color right before the Sonic Jammer was slammed into the side of his head.

Mew Sonic knew that he could have used the Sonic Jammer's attack to finish this, but that wasn't an option right now. So he just struck away with the instrument, surprised at how durable it was. He was using it like a baseball bat and it was working fine at the task of beating Bruce's head in.

Mew Pyro stumbled backwards as quickly as he could, knowing that his chances of fighting back were zero until he could get away from this berserk version of Roger.

But Mew Sonic followed, striking away until his own hands were bleeding from the Sonic Jammer's strings cutting into his palms. "I never said that I was done!"

Blinded by the blood in his eyes, Mew Pyro knew there was only one way to stop his enemy. "Inferno Punch!" Then his right hand exploded into flame.

("What's that?") Mew Sonic faltered at the sight of the glowing hand, and that was his downfall because that same hand slammed right into his left cheek, snapping his head to the side and sending him flying into the stands.

Mew Pyro stood there, his entire body shuddering as it recovered from suddenly no longer being under attack. ("Such violent force…how did he create it from out of nothing at all?")

("What was that?") Roger sat up and pressed a hand to his cheek, pulling the hand back blackened. ("He created fire on his hand and hit me…it nearly knocked me out.") Then his eyes widened and he felt his ears. They felt normal… ("He hit me so hard I changed back to normal?")

Mew Pyro slowly approached Roger, flexing his hand a couple of times. "I discovered that a Mew Mew, if their fighting skill is up to par, can create special attacks without their weapon on hand. It's quite a handy skill. But you seemed surprised by it, as if…" He smiled calmly. "Ah, you didn't know that you could do that, did you?"

"Shut up!" Roger leapt to his feet and tried to ignore the burning pain in his cheek. That attack had nearly stolen his consciousness in its single hit. "I'll beat you…I know I can!"

"You can, but the question is will you treat this seriously enough?"

"What?" Roger gritted his teeth and wished he was within punching range at the moment.

"I won't take you seriously until you take me seriously. That last rage-filled burst of yours was a fluke, so show me the real you or I'll tear you to shreds." Mew Pyro lifted up his hands and revealed his nails, which had lengthened to the point that they looked like claws. "Fight me, Mew Sonic. I don't want to fight Roger Grant, I want to fight you."

_To be continued…_

_And so Roger finds himself locked in a fight he cannot run away from or end easily. His power, regardless of how tough it might appear to be, may not be enough against this opponent. Can he figure out how to use his full power soon, or will Mew Pyro follow up on his threat and tear the boy to shreds?_


	9. Rival's Retribution Part 2

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five Elements; The American Mew Mews

Chapter 9: Rival's Retribution (Part 2)

Magnolia sighed from her seat atop the school. It overlooked the football field where both of those stupid boys had challenged and were currently fighting each other. "This is so boring…why can't we just go down there and tear them both to shreds?"

Sitting next to her was a little girl that looked to be about ten or so, wearing a dress of green platter just like Magnolia's. "Because then Boss would be really mad with you." Giggling cutely, she brushed back a little bit of her blue hair and hugged her sister's arm. "You know what Magnolia-oneechan, I think those two silly human things are trying to beat each other up for real."

"You don't say…" Magnolia sighed at how oblivious Ivy could be sometimes.

----------------------

"_I won't take you seriously until you take me seriously. That last rage-filled burst of yours was a fluke, so show me the real you or I'll tear you to shreds." Mew Pyro lifted up his hands and revealed his nails, which had lengthened to the point that they looked like claws. "Fight me, Mew Sonic. I don't want to fight Roger Grant, I want to fight you."_

Roger tried to stand, but he felt his head swim and he dropped to his knees, eyes locked on the ice-cold metal of the stands. ("What's wrong with me? Why do I have mixed feelings about this?")

Mew Pyro slowly approached, announcing each step loudly to mentally remind Roger that he was coming to attack. "You know, I respect you more than you know, regardless of what insults I hurl your way on occasion."

Roger didn't respond, looking at the ground. It took everything he had not to just collapse face-first into the bleachers and pass out. ("Why do I have such a dislike of fighting him in my mind? Do I not want to hurt him?") A small flicker of understanding flashed in his mind.

Mew Pyro frowned as he was within punching range of Roger now. "I won't hold back on this hit, past not killing you. Prepare yourself."

"No…" Roger slowly lifted his head and looked right into the fire-red eyes that, in his opinion, should have been brown. "Bruce…I'm asking you…please don't get involved with this kind of thing. I didn't want any of you to know, much less become what I am. I don't want to do anything that would promote your being this…"

"I'd say I appreciate your concern, but I hate to lie." Mew Pyro's fist rocketed towards Roger's face. "Now fight!"

Roger lowered his head and shook it. "Then I surrender."

Mew Pyro's fist stopped an inch from Roger's cheek, and then it slowly withdrew. The superhuman stood there; eyes wide at the impossibility of what he had just heard come out of the mouth of his rival. "What did you say?"

"I said that I surrender, you win." Roger couldn't stop himself. Somewhere, deep down inside, he didn't want to hurt Bruce. When they were both human, it didn't matter because short of using heavy weapons they couldn't permanently injure each other. But now…now they were capable of not only killing each other, but killing other people as well. ("Is this just a bad dream, because if so then please wake me up. I don't want this anymore…not anymore…") He'd never wanted it in the first place, because he hated being the strong one. It was better when he was the one being underestimated…it made him feel right when he overcame the challenge.

Mew Pyro's hands started to tremble, whether in joy or anger even the owner of them wasn't sure. Then he yelled in anger and snapped back his right fist, the whole thing erupting into flame. "Inferno Fist!"

-----------------------------

Caitlyn yawned and look at her watch tiredly. ("Its 6:15…why am I here so early?") As she looked out at the slowly rising sun, a big smile crossed her face. ("That's why…just to see the sunrise and I guess get my homework from over the weekend done.") As she walked towards the school, her mind wandered back to yesterday and her shopping trip with Roger. ("He'd been so moody that whole day…")

-----------------------

_Yesterday afternoon…_

------------------------

Caitlyn squealed in delight at what she saw in the window of the next store. "Look at that dress! Isn't it just gorgeous?"

Roger, who had his eyes gently diverted upwards, replied evenly. "Yeah, gorgeous…"

After looking at the price of the dress, Caitlyn immediately moved on to the next store, which was a dark little place in the corner of the mall called "The Den", or as Roger once referred to it, "The Den of Scary Crap". After a moment of mental debating, she grabbed Roger's hand and literally dragged him inside, ignoring the surprised looks from the cashier, a woman dressed in clothing that screamed 'Goth'.

Roger sighed and rolled his eyes as Caitlyn started to go through the stacks and rows of all kinds of leather and black clothing. "Why, exactly, are you in here? I've never seen you in anything black, ever."

"It isn't for me…" Caitlyn came up from a pile holding a black leather strip with metal studs in it and a buckle attachment on both ends. A collar. "It's for you."

Roger turned beet red. "Excuse me?"

Giggling at that lovely reaction, she leaned in closer and winked at him. "Well, I actually mean that it's for a certain superhero."

Roger stopped blushing and looked down at it. Then he took it from her, and flicked it right back into the pile it had come from. "You're a complete and utter idiot."

"This coming from the superhero that wears all black leather clothing and looks like someone cosplaying." Caitlyn reached back into the pile and brought the collar back up. "Come on, it's not like it will interfere with you….for me?" She used the best weapon ever to fight against Roger…the puppy dog eyes and the pouty lip, they never failed.

Roger stood there and then turned away, looking at the entrance to the store. "I'm not going to accessorize something that I plan on getting rid of as soon as possible. It's like putting make-up on a tumor, stupid and pointless."

Caitlyn couldn't believe it…he'd resisted the puppy dog eyes! "But…why are you so hateful towards that other side of you?"

"Other side?" He turned around and almost spat right in her face. "Because I hate it! I'm not some stinking…" An image of Ellen flared in his mind and he stopped right there, fearing he might spill something out that shouldn't be said. "…not some stinking dog."

Caitlyn just stood there, amazed at the hurt she could see in Roger's eyes. ("He's actually emotionally distressed over it…that's…incredible. I'd think someone like him would fall in love with having the ability to defeat anyone…")

"Let's just go already." Roger started to turn away, but felt a light tug on his hand. "Yeah, what?"

"You'll always be and have always been my 'dog'." The way she said the word meant she understood his little code for 'superhero'. "Ever since we were kids, you've always been there to comfort me and protect me when someone tried to pick on me. Please…don't act like this…"

Roger sighed and turned, reaching into the pile and picking up the collar gingerly. Without saying a single word, he walked over to the cashier and purchased it. Looking back at her, he rolled his eyes. "If I get it, will you not cry?" But in his eyes, there was a little flicker of acceptance.

Caitlyn nodded happily. "Yeah…I won't…"

---------------------------

Roger's eyes slowly opened. ("Why did I remember that? Why did that memory come? Did my life flash before my eyes, or what?")

Mew Pyro's fist was inches from Roger's, little embers surrounding it. "I will offer you…" His eyes closed as a fist slammed right into his nose.

"Shut up! I don't even know why I shed tears for you, but now the tear-shedding is done!" Roger leapt to his feet, eyes blazing with a fire that seemed much more in place in his eyes. Snapping up his wrist, he flicked open the cover of the transformation button and pressed it down sharply. "Mew Mew Sonic, METAMORPHOSIS!"

Mew Pyro smiled as the ball of sound surrounded his rival. ("What was that about? Then again, I don't care at all. Come on Roger, bring your best…bring your…")

Mew Sonic came out of the ball, almost not even fully transformed yet. "Eat this, you stupid fool!" Then his fist drove itself into and almost through Mew Pyro's face. It was so strong in power that Mew Pyro couldn't even move, he just stood there as it almost powderized his cheek.

A silence held over the field, and then an explosion shook every structure in sight as Mew Sonic went berserk again, refusing to hold back at all against this opponent.

("This is amazing…as if I had never transformed…") Mew Pyro could feel his every injury from the first berserk attack get opened again, and then tripled as Mew Sonic struck him with absolutely every possible method available to do damage, whether that be claws, teeth, head, etc.

Mew Sonic wasn't sure what it was, but this time his rage didn't feel so easily diffused. He wasn't going to stop until he pounded Bruce into either ash or back to his normal form.

------------------------

Caitlyn felt her legs trembling…because that earthquake felt too small and too localized to be natural. ("Roger?") She ran towards the place she knew that both Roger and Bruce always had met in the past to discuss their later fights.

----------------------

"Inferno…" Mew Pyro was silence by a punch right in the mouth.

"Not this time!" Mew Sonic tackled him and then started to stomp on his rival's fallen body. "You won't knock me out with your little burning hand trick this time!"

Mew Pyro threw up his arms to defend himself, while his brain flashed through any possible methods to avoid dying. ("How will I survive this? At this rate I'll be killed…")

"And here's the kill!" Then Mew Sonic's foot crashed right into Mew Pyro's ribs, sending him launching into the air and right through the goal post on the other end of the football field. "Come on out Sonic Jammer!" The guitar materialized in his hands. "Sonic Wolf's Howl!" Then a blast of sound energy exploded from the head. "Sonic Wolf's Howl!" Another ball exploded out of the weapon, and they both hurtled towards the fallen Bruce. "I'll erase the Mew Mew right out of your system!"

Mew Pyro somehow came to his feet, flames licking at his clothing. "Emerge, Flame Gauntlets!" A pair of fire-red armored gauntlets appeared around his hands. "I refuse to lose to you! Pyro Tiger's Roar!" A giant fireball exploded from his right gauntlet and slammed into the first Wolf's Howl, both of them exploding with incredible force. "Again!" He threw another fireball, which slammed into the other Wolf's Howl. There was a loud scream of energy as the four attacks negated each other easily.

Mew Sonic snarled and dropped the guitar, it instantly disappearing. "I'm not done with you yet!" Then he charged at Mew Pyro like a freight train, his right fist glowing with that golden aura from before.

"Inferno Fist!" Mew Pyro charged as well, his flaming fist cocked back to hit Mew Sonic at the same time. "Let's end it with this blow!"

Mew Sonic snickered and suddenly disappeared, appearing right behind Mew Pyro. "You don't get off that easily." Then his fist struck, blowing Mew Pyro's balance out with one hit. The second hit dropped him to the ground, and the other hundred were just for good measure.

--------------------------

Caitlyn reached the football field just in time to see Mew Sonic land what would have been punch 134, if anyone was counting. "What's…what's…"

Mew Sonic's fist stopped a few inches from his rival's face. "I…I…I…" The sound of Caitlyn's voice brought him back to reality…and he slowly withdrew from the fallen Mew Pyro. "I'm just fighting Bruce…that's all."

"Bruce?" Caitlyn ran over to the fallen martial artist and tilted her head to the side, only able to see the silver hair since Mew Pyro was currently indented into the ground. "What are you talking about?"

Slowly, Mew Pyro stood up and immediately came face to face with a wide-eyed Caitlyn. "Oh, it's you Caitlyn. I was hoping you wouldn't be here this early, because I was just about to beat the crap out of Roger."

She just stood there, right eye starting to twitch. "Where do I even start?"

Mew Sonic almost seemed to slide right behind her and whispered into her ear. "Let's start with 'Would either of you like some water?" Then he was silenced by a sock that was stuffed right into his mouth.

Caitlyn ignored the insane hacking that came from Mew Sonic as he tried to get the horrible smell of used wool from his mouth. "So, you're like Roger now?"

Mew Pyro nodded and looked down at his hands. "Yes, this is me." The Flame Gauntlets both disappeared. "I am Mew Pyro."

Caitlyn looked up at the tiger ears that Mew Pyro had, and then she latched onto them tightly. "That's so cool!"

Mew Sonic face-fell, while Mew Pyro just stood there, cheeks turning red. Then the situation reversed as Mew Sonic leapt to his feet and pointed right at his rival. "Tigers are nowhere near as cool as wolves are!" Mew Pyro just face-fell right there, nearly taking Caitlyn down with him.

Caitlyn just stood there, looking like she was about to burst out laughing at the turn this 'fight' had taken. ("Are they actually arguing over what is better? Wolf or Tiger?")

"Tiger's are so much better because I've never seen a wolf that is capable of taking one down in a fight!" Mew Pyro pointed right into Mew Sonic's face, and got his finger bitten in response. "AHHH! You jerk, what was that for?"

"Don't point at me!" Mew Sonic glared and lightning crashed between their eyes. It was like neither of them had been fighting to the death a minute ago. "And wolves are better because they fight in teams and defeat anyone who gets even close to challenging them!"

"That's all well and fine, but you aren't part of any team!" Mew Pyro stuck out his tongue. "Therefore, you are nothing!"

"That's it!" Caitlyn leapt between them, eyes glittering. "Why don't the two of you become a superhero team?"

Mew Sonic and Mew Pyro looked at her, then at each other…and both of them turned their back to the other. "Not…a…chance!"

"Oh come on, it would be really great for the newspapers and this whole city if they knew they were protected by not one, but two superheroes." Caitlyn tugged on Mew Sonic's arm first, since she knew he would be the tough one to persuade. "Come on Roger!"

"How about no?" He glared at her. "I'm not teaming up…" His entire body stiffened slightly and he slowly frowned. "Caitlyn, get to safety."

The girl started to question, but the look on Mew Sonic's face told her not to. Silently, she ran towards the stands.

Mew Sonic glanced over at Mew Pyro, who nodded to him. They had both felt that tingle that told them something was nearby. "Come out."

"Very well…" A blurred form leapt from a nearby lamp post and landed about twenty feet from both of them. Magnolia smiled calmly and looked between the two, feeling more than satisfied at how beaten up they both were. "I'm sure I need no introduction."

"No, but you might need a eulogy after I'm done with you!" Mew Sonic snapped his hand out, motes of light floating around it. "Come on out, Sonic…" He was silenced as someone used his head as a stepping stone.

Ivy bounced lightly over to her sister's side, giggling sweetly at the sight of Mew Sonic spitting up grass. "Look at that, isn't the sandy-haired one funny?"

"Yes, he's hilarious." Magnolia smiled coldly at this lovely situation. Now she could get revenge on that little punk for what he did to her. "How about you stand up and we can fight, Mew Sonic."

Ivy hopped up a couple of feet and smacked Magnolia in the back of the head. "Now sister, what did Boss tell us?"

Magnolia sighed and kneeled, tearing up a little hole in the earth. "Yes, I remember." Removing a little pod from her gloves, she deposited it into the hole and then buried it up again. "Now then, shall we play for a couple of minutes?"

Mew Sonic narrowed his eyes and cracked his knuckles. "How about we do this instead…I beat the life out of you both, and then we never hear from you again?"

Mew Pyro struck his rival in the back of the head roughly. "I'll tolerate you attacking the woman, but the child?"

"Shut up! She's related so I'm betting she's a superhuman too!" Mew Sonic glared at his rival, and for a few moments it seemed like they were about to start fighting each other again.

"Don't ignore me!" Magnolia swung her whip, the thorn-covered weapon flying towards both of the Mews.

Both Mew Sonic and Mew Pyro ducked their heads at once, letting the whip shoot past their ears. Then they leapt at the same time as the whip came back in a low arc this time.

Magnolia gritted her teeth and glared at Ivy. "Well, hurry up and help me!"

Ivy nodded and waved her hand, a bow made out of plant matter materializing. "Well then, I guess we should begin with a little bit of my Rose Arrows, right sister?"

"Yes, whatever! Just shoot them before it hatches!" Magnolia couldn't believe she was getting stuck with her childish youngest sister.

A thorny arrow formed in Ivy's hand, and she pulled it taut across the bowstring. "Okay, hold still you silly human things." Then she let the arrow fly.

"Shut up!" Mew Sonic stepped out of the way of the arrow almost casually. "I'm not going to just hold still and let you pop me from a distance with that damned thing!"

Mew Pyro nodded resolutely. "We have a reputation as residential tough guys to uphold, after all. And how manly would we look getting shot up by a little girl with a bow?"

Ivy pouted innocently. "It won't hurt that much, jeez!"

"That's besides the…" Mew Sonic lost his train of thought as he felt the earth around them shaking and cracking. "Huh?"

Magnolia smiled and winked at them both. "Bye boys, enjoy the present. It's a little biological weapon made by our boss, and its name is Basilisk Type 1. Have fun!" Then both Ivy and Magnolia disappeared.

The earth where the pod had been planted tore itself up as a huge green-armored form slowly rose up from the ground.

Mew Pyro gulped and took a step back. "Grant, do you think you have the strength to fight? Because at the moment I'm a bit sore from the beating you so soundly gave me."

Mew Sonic smiled and gave the victory pose. "Not a problem, I'll end this in one hit!" Though in the back of his head, he was screaming at himself for being such an idiot and wasting almost all of his power trying to kill Bruce.

_To be continued…_

_And so the truth behind the calling of Mew Pyro and Mew Sonic has come to be seen. Now our two 'heroes' are going to have to fight against some kind of monster created by the mystery man. But the problem is, they are both exhausted completely and utterly. Will they figure out a way to defeat this creature without their full power?_


	10. Basilisk Type I

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five Elements; The American Mew Mews

Chapter 10: Basilisk Type I; Too much to handle?

_Mew Pyro gulped and took a step back. "Grant, do you think you have the strength to fight? Because at the moment I'm a bit sore from the beating you so soundly gave me."_

_Mew Sonic smiled and gave the victory pose. "Not a problem, I'll end this in one hit!" Though in the back of his head, he was screaming at himself for being such an idiot and wasting almost all of his power trying to kill Bruce._

The creature that rose out of the ground had to be at least ten feet tall, and though it was vaguely humanoid there was no way that Mew Sonic was going to try and compare this monstrosity to a person. Its entire body was made of strangely corded plant matter, which apparently was trying to resemble human muscle. With its wide shoulders and massive chest, the Basilisk seemed far too buff to be a plant. The center of its headless body opened enough to reveal a strange toothed chest cavity that reminded Mew Sonic of the mouth of a Venus Fly Trap that he had seen once. Letting out a bellowing roar of rage, the Basilisk charged towards both of the boys like a freight train.

"Scatter!" Mew Pyro leapt one way, while Mew Sonic leapt the other, leaving the Basilisk to run right through the goal post between them like it was a blade of grass.

("That thing just ran through freaking metal like it was paper…great…") Mew Sonic gritted his teeth and felt warmth run up through his muscles. "I've got it!" Screaming, though whether because of the heat of battle or because he couldn't believe he was actually charging this thing, no one knew except him. As he got within ten feet of it the Basilisk turned to face him, its chest cavity mouth opening and letting out a hissing roar. He responded by punching its corded muscle chest as hard as he could…

The Basilisk barely noticed the impact it had taken, though it was more than glad to respond to it with a powerful punch right into Mew Sonic's ribs with a fist that was nearly as big as the boy's whole torso.

For a few moments Mew Sonic felt his mind shut down from the pain, and then when he came to he was lying face-first in the dirt across the football field from the creature, which was charging towards him and roaring again. ("Oh hell, I pissed it off!") Then he rolled on the ground, feeling the earth shake as the creature tried to change the course of its run to trample him. But luckily it wasn't that physically swift, so other than brushing past his back it get going and charged through the stands, literally.

Mew Pyro just stood there, mouth hanging open. ("This monster is incredibly strong. With its physical strength, I'm not sure even if I felt top notch that I would be able to do anything to it.")

"Don't just stand there Bruce, do something!" Mew Sonic rolled to his feet and smacked his fist into his open palm. "I'm ready to throw it all on the line against this thing, what about you?" Then he looked at his wrist, and saw the display on his transformation device/watch. ("6:30? That means that some students will be arriving within fifteen minutes!") "We need to hurry, Bruce!"

Mew Pyro stepped forward slowly, and nodded. "Y…Yes, let's not waste any time destroying this monster."

"It's okay…I'm scared of it too." Mew Sonic could hear the fear in his rival's voice, and for the first time in a long while he agreed with him. This monster was something they weren't really ready for. For some reason he believed that every monster he would fight was going to be like Aizen had been, incredibly strong compared to the normal human, but when pitted against a Mew Mew it would fall. But this changed his whole outlook on that. This monster was far above anything he could hope to do in the fighting department. "What do you think, have you discovered something about a Mew Mew that can possibly beat this thing?"

Mew Pyro slowly shook his head. "Beyond my Inferno Punch, I'm assuming my powers are about the same as yours. Therefore, we'll have to use our weapons against this thing." Slapping his palms against each other, he closed his eyes and focused. "Pyro Gauntlets!" A pair of fire-red armored gauntlets formed around his hands. "Ready? We'll take it out in one shot!"

"Right! Come on out, Sonic Jammer!" Mew Sonic felt the guitar materialize in his hand. Hefting it and pointing the head at the hole where the Basilisk had gone through, he took a shuddering breath. "When it pokes its head out, blast it."

"Right." Mew Pyro felt his drained energy protest at the fact that he was trying to use this attack, but he knew it they didn't then that thing would just run them over.

A loud roar came from the hole and the Basilisk came charging out, cavity open and droplets of green liquid sliding down its abdomen.

"NOW!" Mew Sonic aimed the head right at it and ran his fingers across the strings. "Sonic Wolf's Howl!" A ball of sonic energy shot out of the head, hurtling towards the beast and slamming right into it, forcing it to stop its charge.

"Burn, you abomination! Pyro Tiger's Roar!" Mew Pyro's gauntlets exploded, releasing a blast of burning fire that swallowed the whole monster up. "Got it!"

The Basilisk roared in anger and charged, still on fire.

"GAH!" Mew Sonic had to leap out of the way to avoid getting tackled by the now on fire monster, but Mew Pyro wasn't so lucky. The Basilisk bounced him off of its shoulder, sending him flying across the field, through the chainlink fence, and into the stands. ("What's the matter with this thing? Doesn't it know you're supposed to stay down when you get hit by our best attacks?")

The Basilisk dropped to the earth and rolled about, quickly extinguishing the fires that covered its body with ease. Then it leapt to its feet and turned to roar at Mew Sonic.

"Let's go, freak show!" Dropping his weapon, the boy charged right at the monster screaming wildly. ("I won't lose to you, mindless vegetable!")

----------------------

Caitlyn cheered quietly as she watched Mew Sonic go berserk on the Basilisk, pounding it as many times as he could. "Come on Roger, kick that thing's…"

"Such words don't become a lady." A quiet voice spoke off to the side of her.

Caitlyn nearly leapt out of her skin in fear that it was Magnolia or that other child, but when she turned her head a big gasp escaped her lips. "It's you again."

Mew Terra nodded, hands folded in front of his chest. "Those two won't be able to win this if they keep fighting that monster like that."

"Then why don't you help them, aren't they your comrades?" She wanted to slap the masked cowboy look-alike, but knew that wouldn't be wise.

"I have no…" Mew Terra went silent as he noticed that Caitlyn smelled the air. "Something the matter?"

"Is that Morning Dusk?" The girl leaned in a little closer. "Why are you wearing perfume?"

"Uhh…." For a few moments, the calm gunman seemed to be unsure what to say. "Nevermind that, don't you care what happens to those two?"

A loud scream that grew rapidly louder could be heard, and then Mew Sonic joined their conversation as he went head-first through the chain-link fence that Caitlyn had been standing behind as a cover. He was halfway through it, every of him the waist up dangling between the two. "Ow…."

Caitlyn grabbed Mew Sonic's head and tilted it towards Mew Terra. "Hey Roger, what does that smell like?"

On instinct, the boy sniffed the air and his eyes widened. "Huh?" He realized it was Mew Terra and a deep frown creased his face. "You're a girl?"

"What are you talking about? Don't I look like a man? What makes you think I'm a girl?" The gunman took a few steps back, suddenly very uncomfortable.

Mew Sonic wrenched himself free of the chain-link fence and stood up, brushing himself off. "I know a man's scent when I pick it up, and that isn't a man's scent at all. You're disguised…"

Mew Terra went silent and then glared. "Impressive reasoning skills…"

"Yeah, just shut up and reveal who you are." Mew Sonic felt edgy around this person, because they pissed him off.

"Now isn't the time. I've watched that monster slap you and your friend around long enough. Now then, I'll help you out, alright?" Mew Terra offered his, er their, hand out. "Deal?"

Mew Sonic slapped the hand away. "Why are we shaking on it? Let's just go already!" Then they both leapt up into the air, and ran towards the football field.

------------------------

Mew Pyro back-flipped a couple of times and snapped up his Pyro Gauntlets. "Pyro Tiger's Roar!" An explosive spray of flame shot from his hands and swallowed up the Basilisk, but the creature didn't seem to notice as it charged into him again. ("What amazing resistance to pain. Why does this creature not burn away when exposed to my attack?") Bouncing across the ground, the boy felt pain spike up his chest from where the creature had hit him so many times with its shoulder.

The Basilisk rolled out the fires and stood up again, starting to approach Mew Pyro. Lifting up its claw, it prepared to end it…

Mew Terra appeared in front of it, their eyes determined. "Let's go!" Then they kicked their foot right into its abdomen, forcing it to double over from the strength of the blow.

Mew Sonic appeared behind it and tackled the creature, sending it face-first to the dirt. Then he was flying away as seconds later it back-handed him.

"Don't try and exchange blows with it, stupid!" Mew Terra brushed back their coat and pulled free their revolvers. "Terra Pistols! Terra Fox Storm!" Then they unleashed a flurry of shots that pummeled the creature mercilessly. "Now, finish it off Mew Sonic!"

"Right!" Mew Sonic leapt into the air above it and slammed his elbow down into the top of the creature's body as hard as he could.

Mew Terra face-fell. "What was that? I meant take it out with your finishing attack!"

"You mean the Howl?" Mew Sonic nodded and ducked under another back-hand thrown by the Basilisk. Snapping up his arms, he formed the Sonic Jammer. "Sonic Wolf's Howl!" There was an explosion that blew him backwards as the blast of sound energy connected with the Basilisk at point-blank range. When the dust cloud cleared though, it revealed the Basilisk still standing, though now it was stumbling. "Hey, why isn't it gone yet?"

"Because you haven't used your finishing technique against it! Hurry up and end it!" Mew Terra leapt back and continued to fire, the shots of the Terra Pistols blowing little holes in the body of the monster.

("My finishing technique?") Mew Sonic looked down at the Sonic Jammer and raised an eyebrow. ("What finishing technique?")

"Hurry up, it won't be stunned for long!" Then Mew Terra kept firing away, even as the older holes were already closing up along the body of the Basilisk.

Mew Pyro stood up and nodded. "Once more, Pyro Tiger's Roar!" A jet of fire launched from his hands and engulfed the creature once more, though this time it wasn't able to counterattack or try to put the fire out. "Hurry up and do as he says, Grant!"

"How?" Mew Sonic looked down at the guitar and slapped its frame a couple of times. "Come on, do whatever they want you to do!"

"Don't you know how to use your finishing technique?" Mew Terra gasped as the Basilisk charged and tackled them, sending the superhuman flying away into the stands.

"Damn it Grant!" Mew Pyro charged in and unleashed a flurry of kicks on the Basilisk. "Now isn't the time to tell us you don't know what you are doing!"

"I don't though!" Mew Sonic shook the Sonic Jammer a few times. "Please…work!"

("This is pointless, he obviously has no idea how to do the technique. So be it.") Mew Terra leapt into the air and aimed their revolvers both at the Basilisk. "Out of the way, cat boy!" Both of the weapons started to glow slowly, though they were quickly gathering up energy.

Mew Sonic stared at the Sonic Jammer like it was betraying him. ("Do it already! Come…") His whole body froze as he felt a tingle run up his spine. ("What was that? And more importantly…") Every part of him felt stronger momentarily. ("Is…is this the finishing technique?")

"Ribbon…" Mew Terra froze as they felt a surge of power coming from Mew Sonic. ("What's this?")

Mew Sonic slowly lifted his eyes to look at the Basilisk. ("It's like a song…almost. But it's too chaotic, too many notes to make any sense.") His fingers glided along the body of the guitar. ("No! I'll play this song…and I'll kill this thing!") He hit the first note, and a blast of sound shook the earth around them all. "This is it!"

The Basilisk turned and roared right at the boy.

Silence held around Mew Sonic, and then he held up the Sonic Jammer. "Ribbon…" His fingers became blurs, and the air around him grew hazy. "…Sonic…" The whole distortion around him seemed to flow out around the Basilisk. "…Dissonance!"

Roaring in pain, the Basilisk shuddered and then its whole body dissolved into specks of dust.

Dropping to his knees, Mew Sonic smiled tiredly. "Cool…guitar solo of…doom…" Then he collapsed, changing back to Roger in a flash of light.

Mew Pyro and Mew Terra both stared at the spot where the Basilisk had been in amazement. ("What was that?")

-------------------------------

Magnolia frowned and tapped her heel against the lamp post she stood on a couple of times. "Well isn't this just lovely, he's got some kind of new super attack."

Ivy giggled and looked over her sister's shoulder. "Well, should we make our move now?"

"Yeah." Magnolia and her sister both disappeared at once.

---------------------------------

Caitlyn ran over and helped Bruce get Roger to stand up. "Come on, easy now…"

"I'm fine…" Roger popped his back and stood up, glancing over at his rival. "Hey, now we can fight those things, can't we?"

"Yeah…" Bruce smirked calmly. "I'll figure out how you did that, and then once I use mine I'll prove that I am the strongest of the two of us."

"I'm sure that you will, but until then…" Roger stumbled as a wave of dizziness hit him. "I need rest."

"There's no time for that." Mew Terra slowly turned around, narrowing their eyes as both Magnolia and Ivy appeared on the field. "What do you two want?"

"Us?" Magnolia snapped up her whip, forcing Mew Terra to leap out of the way. "We're just here for our objective!"

Ivy vanished and then appeared behind Caitlyn, grabbing the girl's waist and then disappearing back to her sister's side with the girl over her shoulder. "Mission number two accomplished, sister!"

"Good job." Magnolia had to laugh at the look of burning anger that crossed Roger's face. "Sorry boy, but she won't be fighting back. Ivy, like myself, can produce powerful toxins and like we did to you, we did to her. She won't be moving until we administer the antidote."

"What do you want with her? I thought I was your target!" Roger started to run forward, but his legs gave out on him and he fell face-first to the ground.

"Our boss told us to capture this girl, not why to capture her. So don't bother asking me for things I don't have to give." She gave a little bow, not at all afraid of the guns aimed at her. "We'll meet again soon, so get some rest." Then she and her sister disappeared.

"Caitlyn!" Roger tried to stand up, but passed out from the stress of doing so.

Bruce just stood there, fists clenched. "Dirty cowards…"

Mew Terra glanced back at the two boys. ("I have no choice, I must take them to somewhere to recover before Roger's wounds catch up with him.") Turning, they slowly approached the two boys.

_To be continued…_

_And so the real objective is revealed. What does the mystery man want with Caitlyn, and what is the identity of Mew Terra. All this and more will be answered in the next chapter._


	11. Roger Captured

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five Elements; The American Mew Mews

Chapter 11: Roger Captured

"Let me go!" Caitlyn kicked Magnolia in the shin again and again, trying to get out of the arm-lock that the woman had her in. "What do you want from me?"

"I don't want anything from you, but my boss had told me to bring you to him so it's not like I really have a choice in the matter." Sighing, the pink-haired superhuman continued to forcefully move the girl down the corridors of the strangely dark and quiet mansion that her boss lived in.

"And who's your boss?" Caitlyn stopped trying to fight quite so much, realizing that the chances of her getting away from this kind of superhuman terror were next to nothing.

Magnolia walked up to a pair of massive oak doors and pushed them open. "Come in and see for yourself."

Gulping loudly, Caitlyn slowly walked into a fairly well-lit room. "Hello?" The only sound inside the room was the ticking of a grandfather clock in the corner. "Is there anyone here?"

"Yes there is, miss Erickson." A calm voice spoke from an armchair near the fireplace, which was facing away from the doorway. "It's such a pleasure to know you're here. After all, you'll be very important to my plans."

"What plans?" Caitlyn felt little tingles of nervous energy run up her spine. This man wasn't normal at all…

"Oh, just a little genetic experimentation." The man shifted in his chair and continued. "You see, the chances of there actually being multiple 'completely' compatible humans in this city are so infinitely small that it isn't worth calculating…and yet there are three so far. Amazing…it makes me wonder what secrets this city hides. Perhaps some kind of strange radiation from long ago…or maybe it is just a cruel joke of fate."

Snapping his fingers, the man went silent while Magnolia walked over to a nearby little mini-bar and poured a drink into a champagne glass, bringing it over to him. Every second of it seemed like a horrible torture if you were telling things by the look on her face.

"That still doesn't answer what you want to do with me!" Caitlyn wasn't even really afraid anymore, now she was just annoyed. This guy had her kidnapped, but refused to tell her what he was going to do with her.

Taking a sip of his glass, the man chuckled. "First a test…"

Caitlyn yelped as she felt something bite her arm. Looking down at her arm, she turned a strange blue-white color as fear overtook her body. There was a spider about the size of a tarantula that was hanging on her arm, and it had poked its fangs into her. "S…s…s…s…" The little creature leapt off of her and scuttled over to the armchair, where the man reached down and picked it up gently.

"This creature isn't actually a spider, simply grown to resemble one. It is actually a plant that possesses a special genetic trait that makes it change colors depending on what types of genetics are introduced to its system through its fangs." Holding the little thing up, the man pursed his lips as it turned a deep red. "That's interesting, and yet finally I see something that makes sense scientifically. You aren't even the slightest bit compatible with any of the mixtures I have."

Caitlyn wasn't listening, still locked in that position of fear from before. "S…s…s…s…s…"

("This is strangely unsatisfying…I was thinking that she, like the boy's rival, would have been compatible with one of the DNA mixtures.") The man placed the little spider-like creature on a nearby table and laced his fingers together as he went deep into thought. ("However, this will actually allow me to perform a few tests that I had been hoping to do beforehand. We shall see how a normal human being responds to the mixtures when the process is controlled within a laboratory setting.") "Magnolia, it's time to implement my first plan. I wish for you to awaken Petunia, Lotus and Jasmine. Order them to select one of the bio-weapon Type Ones from storage and attack the three pre-planned points in the city at once. I want to make sure that those Mews are preoccupied while we're at it."

"Of course sir. And the girl?" Magnolia motioned over at Caitlyn, who had apparently fainted on her feet.

"Place her downstairs in the lab and tell Ivy to keep an eye on her." The man took another sip of his drink. ("Now it comes…the time to find out whether or not the power of my research can overcome the research of Excelsior.")

-------------------------

Roger's eyes slowly opened…and he immediately sat up in bed, wincing at the pain in his ribs. ("Why am I still so sore? I took worse damage from Aizen and the transformation to Mew Sonic got rid of the damage quickly. I should have healed quicker than that.") Looking down at the 'ground' around him, his eyes widened as he realized he was lying shirtless in an unfamiliar bed. ("What the hell? Where am I?") Leaping out from under the soft covers, he realized that the room he was in was far too neat to be his own.

There were posters of horses everywhere, and a strange number of western things as well. It was like he wandered into the bedroom of some pretend cowboy. A sudden mental picture of Mew Terra flashed in his head and he frowned. ("I'm in his…er, her room then? Well, why is my shirt missing?") He didn't see any wrappings on his body, so it didn't seem like Mew Terra had been testing his body for injuries.

The loud of a door opening somewhere outside of the room he was in told him that someone had just come home. "Listen, I'm serious Walt…now is not a good time for me to have company! And shouldn't you be in school anyway?"

"I have to ask you the same question, so don't play with me." Roger perked up as soon as he heard his brother's voice from nearby. "I just want a stinking drink of water, that's all! Why is that such a…hey, I know that backpack…"

The other voice, female, sounded suddenly frantic. "Fine, just get your water and then get out!"

Now Walt wasn't responding, apparently investigating the backpack near the entryway. "I know this notebook…so, I see you've got interest in younger men?" His question was very dry and sounded very serious. "My brother huh?"

Roger, who had his ear against the door, flushed beet red and nearly kicked the door open, leaping into the hallway. "What kind of nonsense are you spouting?"

Walt turned to regard his now tailed and wolf-eared brother. "I knew that would flush you out. So, care to tell me what you're doing here, in the house of my friend?"

"That's what I would love to know, and more importantly…" Roger had yet to even approach changing back to normal. "Where's my shirt?"

"That's what I'd like to know too." Walt slowly turned and talked to someone out of sight. "Excuse me, but what exactly are you doing with my brother?" His reply was a single boot that nearly hit him in the face.

"You're a sick bastard." A slim hand snapped out and punch Walt right in the face, dropping him to the carpet.

Roger just stood there in slight awe. He'd never seen someone punch so fast before in his whole life. And normally his brother was used to dodging punches, so for that to hit him…

A teenage girl of about fifteen or sixteen stepped into his view. She looked to be amazingly athletic, about 5'8", with hazel eyes and blond hair. Adjusting her denim vest and jean shorts, she reached down and picked Walt up off the ground by the collar. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Walt gave Roger a thumbs-up. "I hope you and her have a good life together, bro." Then he was face-first on the ground as she punched him again.

Roger just stood there in silence… "So…tell me something…who are you?"

The girl glared at him for a few seconds, apparently associating him with his brother's stupid joke. "My name is Alicia Emerson. I am a student of Robinson High School. Also, I'm the friend of your brother…though I didn't know it until right now."

Roger nodded sagely, his face still red and his ears and tail still out. "Now, one more thing…Where's my shirt?"

"Right here, you big child." She reached out of sight and threw his shirt at him. "Stop your complaining."

"Shut up, before I kick your ass on general principle." As Roger's shirt was halfway on, his mind kicked him roughly as it gave him the mental picture of Caitlyn slung over Ivy's shoulder. "Oh no! I have to save…"

"I know that." Alicia smiled and held up a finger. "For now, we can't do anything though. Unless you know where those two 'women' went, we'll just have to kick back and wait for an opportunity to chase after them." Then she had to leap out of the way as Roger barreled right past her. "Where are you going?"

"I'll save her, screw your plan!" Roger threw the front door of the apartment open and charged outside and out of sight.

Alicia just stood there, eyes wide. ("He…doesn't even know where he is at the moment, so how could he possibly save her?")

Walt stood up and readjusted his jaw. "So, what was that all about?"

Alicia rolled her eyes and explained.

---------------------------

As the man sat in his laboratory, he looked at the computer screen in front of him and smiled in amusement. "This is so entertaining…to see her body's genetic structure change." This was his ultimate test. Was it possible to make a human being's genetic structure change enough that they became compatible with one of the DNA mixtures?

From just behind him, he could hear Caitlyn's screams of pain. They didn't really register as much to him, except that he was making some progress. ("It hurts now, but soon you'll understand why I have done this, girl.") He knew that his methods were cruel, and he didn't care. If in the end he yielded results that were all that mattered.

----------------------------

Roger had run about ten city blocks before realizing he had no idea where he was. "Damn it…this is a good way to ruin my…"

"Well boys, look at what we have here." A voice coldly spoke from an alley right off to Roger's side. "If it isn't the wonder child of crime, Roger Grant. I wonder what he's doing all the way down here…and whether or not he understands that he has crossed into the territory of the Red Skulls."

Roger slowly turned, his eyes sweeping over the ten street thugs who all sat along the alley. Apparently he was in a different gang's territory, and honestly he didn't care. "I don't have time to waste on you small fries; I have things that have to be done."

"Is that so?" The leader of the group, a red-haired man who looked to be about twenty, slowly approached Roger. "Well you'll have to excuse us, but we small fries just love to get in the way." Then all at once they charged, brandishing random weapons that ranged from broken bottles to baseball bats.

Roger lifted up his wrist device slowly. "I'll make this quick." Flicking open the cover, he pressed the button to trigger his transformation. "Now…Mew Mew Sonic, METAMOPHORSIS!"

All of the gang members slowed to a stop…and a long silence held over all of them as they stared at Roger.

Meanwhile, Roger just stared at the device like it was broken. ("There's no way…they told me this thing could take any amount of damage!")

"You done playing around, kid?" Then they all charged again.

Roger cracked his knuckles and charged as well. "Screw it, I'll take you out myself!"

-----------------------

Walt sighed and tapped his foot a couple of times on the sidewalk before he looked at Alicia. "I wonder what's taking him so long."

Alicia shrugged. "He'll be back."

Walt heard his phone ring, and taking it out of his pocket he saw Roger's number on it. "I see, there he is." Holding it out at arms length, he flipped it open and held it up to his ear. "Where in the…"

"_Yo Walt, long time no talk."_ The voice on the other end of the line was smug. _"I'm sure you realize that your little brother strolled onto our turf, right?"_

Walt's voice instantly went ice cold, emotionless. "Where are you? And more importantly, who are you?"

"_My name isn't as important as my gang's name. I'm sure you remember the Red Skulls, right?"_

Walt instantly remembered the gang, and he narrowed his eyes as if he was glaring at the speaker. "That's a city-wide gang…what do you want with a little group like the Lone Wolves?"

"_Can the crap."_ The voice sounded angry now. _"You're one of the biggest ringleaders in this whole city. Little gang or not, you guys are starting to irritate us. As such, we decided that we'll make your little brother pay."_

Walt flipped his phone closed. "We have a problem…he's run into a rival gang. There's no point in talking to them, they don't sound like they want to do anything more than let me know what they are doing and then try to make me mad by beating Roger up while I can hear it." His eyes very slowly went down the list of names he had on speed dial. "It's alright, I know a couple of guys who owe me some favors…"

Alicia sighed and placed a hand over his. "There's no need for that. I'll get him."

"You'll…" Walt glared at her. "Now isn't the time for jokes."

"Who said I was joking?" Alicia held up her hand and closed her eyes. There was a moment of silence, and then she started to glow.

"What are you…" Walt stepped back as the concrete around them started to crack.

"Mew Mew Terra, METAMOPHORSIS!" As she said this, Alicia disappeared within a huge cloud of dust that exploded up from the ground at her feet.

("You have to be kidding me!") Walt was forced to step back even farther as the dust cloud turned into a dust tornado that nearly enveloped him.

From within it, Alicia tilted her head back as her hair and eyes changed from hazel and blond to dark brown. The dust formed into a white shirt and pair of jeans, then a long leather trench-coat, and finally a cowboy hat, all of which she was now wearing. From underneath the hat, a pair of brown fox ears replaced her human ones, and from underneath the billowing coat a brown fox's tail could be seen.

Walt just stood there, a huge sweatdrop seeming to hang off the side of his head. "H…Huh?"

Mew Terra sighed and patted him on the shoulder. "Now's not surprise time. Let's find your dumb little brother." Then she threw him over one shoulder and leapt to the top of a nearby rooftop, smiling slightly at his cries of protest.

-----------------------

"It's interesting, her body is actually resisting my attempts to change it!" The man couldn't get enough of this. It was like a game of chess, one where the opponent had two moves for each of his. ("I can't hope to move faster than her genetics can, but by no means am I near losing. It is running on a program, while I can think ahead.") He still wasn't sure how someone's body could so quickly change and work to undo his changes, but his research would not be stopped. ("By the time this day ends, you will be injected with a mixture. Whether it will yield an animal, a mutant, or a Mew Mew though, we shall see.")

_To be continued…_

_And so the mystery man's plans are revealed. Why is he so dead-set on trying to create more Mew Mews, and more importantly, can Alicia and Walt save Roger before it is too late? And what of Bruce, who remained at school after the fight?_


	12. Trial by Fire

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five Elements; The American Mew Mews

Chapter 12: Trial by Fire

"The great author…" As the literature teacher continued to drone on, Bruce felt his eyes slowly starting to close. After his morning battle to the near death with Grant, his lack of sleep over the evening had caught up with him and along with his injuries, he was ready to sleep for a day or so if he could. Slowly, his head lowered and his forehead touched down on his desktop. ("Just a little nap…") Then he felt the earth underneath him heave and rumble rapidly, sending a gasp of surprise through the whole of the class.

"Everyone, don't panic." The teacher motioned towards the doorway. "Please file out of the classroom and then go to the fire escapes; apparently we're having an earthquake."

Bruce slowly stood up and stumbled towards the doorway, barely responding when he was nearly trampled underneath the near mob of students who wanted out of the building before it collapsed in on their heads. ("Why must these things happen today? I just want some sleep…is that too much to ask?")

When a loud roar shook the whole school, the boy knew that it was far too much to ask.

-------------------------------

As he ran outside, his eyes widened at what was standing in the middle of the parking lot amidst huge piles of burning car wreckage. He at first thought of Basilisk, but this creature was far too different. It was humanoid, but very skinny and tall, almost fifteen feet in height. It had six arms, and each arm had carried a long sword that seemed to be made out of bone. The bio-monster roared, its chest cavity opening and dribbling drops of some kind of green liquid to the ground at its three-toed feet.

Bruce grimaced at the sight of those swords. ("I must bring my focus in or else this creature will slash me to ribbons with its mighty attacks.") Then he noticed the fact that there were crowds of people who stood on the sidewalk, about twenty feet or so from the creature. "What are you doing, get away from that thing!"

"Why, I can see the damn zipper…you're too uptight, Mensing." One boy, a brown-haired kid that Bruce remembered from his class, began to approach the creature confidently.

As soon as it sensed him, it moved its body so that it was facing him, swords lifted and cavity open. Letting out a loud hiss noise, it prepared to charge and run him down.

("NO!") Bruce almost threw himself into a nearby bush. "Mew Mew Pyro, METAMORPHOSIS!" An explosive ball of fire instantly consumed the bush, rolling into the air and then dropping like a bomb right between the bio-monster and the boy. From within the fire, Bruce felt his blood rise and energy burst through his whole body. Lifting up one hand, he watched as the fire-red wristbands appeared on him. It went to his other hand next, and then his fire-red kung fu clothing formed. His eyes and hair turned silver, while his ears changed into a pair of orange tiger ears.

When the fire cleared, everyone gasped at the mysterious tiger-eared boy that had shown up so suddenly.

Mew Pyro glanced back at the now very confused boy. "Get back, and do not approach this creature!" Turning his head around, he faced the hissing monster calmly. "I do not fear you, beast."

"What about when you must fight two on one?" A female voice cried out a battle call and then a form that was hidden by the sun shining behind it appeared in the air above Mew Pyro.

Rolling to the side, the boy's eyes widened as a dark-haired Asian girl wearing a Chinese version of the dress that Magnolia had worn in the past. ("Who is this?")

Standing up slowly, the woman formed a long curved sword made of plant matter out of thin air. "My name is Lotus, and I hope you can provide me with some kind of a challenge."

Mew Pyro slowly stood up and took a fighting stance he had learned from his grandfather. Its purpose was nothing more than to make it easier for him to dodge, because he had a sudden feeling that he was going to need to be doing that a lot. "Let's go then, you and me."

"Did you not hear me say two on one?" Lotus snapped her fingers. "Bio-weapon Hellion Type I. Its purpose is meant for multiple opponent combat, but in your case it's the perfect choice. We created you, Mew Pyro, and we know exactly how to destroy you." She slowly circled a perimeter around him, knowing if he tried to escape then he'd be attacked, and if he let her get behind him then he'd be fighting on two different sides. "Well, what can you do except stand there and get destroyed by either me or my monster."

Mew Pyro slowly straightened up and stood calmly, closing his eyes. "You talk far too much…" He listened with his ears and could tell that the students and now most of the faculty were watching him. ("Don't they understand the danger they are in? And I can't even warn them, or else I'll risk attracting either of these two creature's attentions to them.")

Lotus laughed calmly while she continued to circle around to Mew Pyro's back. "It's all over for you, attack now!"

The Hellion roared and charged right at the boy, all of its swords except one ready to slash him to ribbons if he tried to dodge the single one headed for his heart.

Mew Pyro just stood there, eyes closed and ears twitching. ("Not yet…I have to make sure I get this at the right time or else I'll have wasted my chance.") As he felt the air in front of him shift, his eyes snapped open and he ducked, the blade shooting right past his head. Then he was moving forward, fists cocked back and blazing with fire. "Rapid-first Inferno Punches!" His hands became blurs as he pummeled the Hellion's thin torso mercilessly with those flaming hands. ("I have to destroy it right now, before its dangerous methods of attack harm any of the people in the crowd!")

Lotus gritted her teeth as she watched the body of the Hellion start to burn away. ("At this rate he'll annihilate it completely…but then again, if he does so then I'll be able to defeat him easily. Those rapid-fire Inferno Punches must consume huge amounts of his energy.")

She stood calmly by and watched as he continued to pound away at the Hellion, putting all of his heart and soul into destroying it with his two fists. "I won't let you bring these innocent people to harm!" With one final strike, he felt the monster's entire body burn to ash. ("I did it…") Then he screamed in pain a heavy kick was landed to the side of his head, sending him flying into the hard stone wall of the nearby school.

Lotus applauded and slowly approached his fallen form. "Now you die, hero." Then she stepped back as she watched the boy from before step between him and her. "What do you want, you stinky little human?"

"You won't hurt this guy…he only wanted to protect us…" The boy felt scared, knowing this lady wasn't normal at all. "I won't back down…"

"That's fine, I'll just gut you then." Lotus started to approach the boy, but froze as she felt a slight surge in energy from Mew Pyro's body. "What's this? You can still stand up?"

Mew Pyro stood up and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "It's alright. I'll fight her." Then he stepped past his classmate, knowing that he had no choice in the matter. It was either fight, or be killed.

Lotus tapped the edge of her sword against the pavement. "You'll die, is that acceptable?"

Mew Pyro looked back at the students and teachers, and he felt a surge of strength flow through his veins. ("Why do I feel so much stronger now? Why does it feel like I'm not fighting alone.") Turning, he roared and charged right at her.

Lotus gasped and was almost hit by the punch aimed for her face. ("That's fast! How did he get so quick?")

("I can win! I know I can!") Mew Pyro suddenly was behind her, fist cocked back. "It ends here!"

Lotus gasped and was forced to drop her sword as she leapt out of the way of the punch. "This is impossible…"

"Again!" Bruce touched down on the ground and flew at her again, roaring in rage. "I won't let you do as you please to these people!"

("So that's it!") Lotus knew the original purpose of Mew Mews, and apparently when they were protecting people their power increased. ("Blast it, this isn't good at all. Even if I tried to get away from the humans, something tells me he'll still stay as strong as he is now! I'll have to figure out a way to take him out in one shot!")

Mew Pyro drop-kicked the ground where Lotus had been seconds before, the asphalt cracking like it had been hit by a sledgehammer. "I'm not done with you yet!"

Lotus was thrown to the ground to avoid a jump kick that would have taken her head. ("This is ridiculous!")

-------------------------------------------

As his fingers flashed across the keyboard like lightning, a deep rumbling laughter came from his deep within his throat. ("At this rate, I'll have her ready in no time.")

Caitlyn, meanwhile, was lying inside a strange metal tube that was hurting her…it felt like it was burning her all over. No matter how hard she struggled though, she couldn't move and try to get away from the pain. It was too much… ("Roger…please help me…")

-------------------------------------------

Lotus clutched at the deep scratch wound on her right forearm as she continued to dodge the apparently relentless attacks of Mew Pyro. ("This punk is far too powerful for his own good, and I can't do anything about it. Trying to fight back would be dangerous, and dodging will eventually wear me down to the point where his attacks will destroy me.")

Mew Pyro stood amongst the pock-filled parking lot, his eyes shining with a silver glow. "What's the matter, monster? Are you suddenly afraid? How about you go threaten the helpless bystanders again?" He appeared to her right, throwing a downward punch that missed her and created another tiny hole in the asphalt. "Or maybe you could injure my rival again?"

Lotus gritted her teeth as a foot crashed into her chin, sending her into a forced series of back-flips. ("He's getting stronger too!") While she was spinning around in the air, her hair stood on end as she felt a sudden gathering force of energy. ("He couldn't have the energy…")

"Pyro Tiger's Roar!" Mew Pyro's fists snapped up and a fireball shot from his Pyro Gauntlets, which slammed right into Lotus' stomach and propelled her even higher into the air.

("I…I can't believe I'm getting put on the defensive by this annoyance! I cannot allow this…I'll kill him right now!") She twisted in mid-air and changed her falling path. "Come on then, child. I'll show you how a real martial artist fights!"

Mew Pyro dispelled his gauntlets and ran right at the woman, watching as she landed on the ground easily and launched right at him as well. "I'll show you! Inferno Punch!"

The two of them collided with enough force to shake the school and the surrounding land.

------------------------

The man sat at his computer, a perplexed look across his shadowed face. ("How is this possible? I could have sworn that I had her genetics right…such a shame. She would have made such a beautiful superhuman too.") Sighing, he stood up and flicked off the screen of his computer. "Magnolia?"

"Yes master?" The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. "How can I serve you?"

The man crossed his arms across his chest and walked over to the metal tube that had contained the girl. Inside it now was only a pile of clothing with something moving from within the cloth. "Place the subject in observation. We'll see if she can at least provide us with some interesting data."

"If you don't mind my asking, did you really expect to somehow change her genetics to accept the mixture?" The pink-haired woman closed her eyes, voice calm. But somewhere, deep within her tone, there was the slightest hint of disgust.

"You never know until you try. This will be useful information though…I would like to see how the boy responds to seeing her like this." Chuckling, the man walked off towards his study. "I'll be watching the data collected from the battles between Lotus, Petunia, and Jasmine. Contact me if anything changes."

"As you wish." Magnolia stood silently, her eyes flickering over the metal tube and her mind flashing images of her past through her mind. ("I pity you, child. You probably didn't deserve what he did to you. However, the doctor's genius cannot be argued with.")

From within the case, there was a quiet chirping noise that indicated sadness. Magnolia knew the truth though…the girl's mental capabilities had most likely deteriorated down to those of her new body. "The doctor will find the results he wishes through this. He wants Mew Sonic stronger than any of us. I'm sure this event will bring him to his full power…though I do not believe the doctor fully understands what this will entail. So be fulfilled, within your bird mind, knowing that when he sees you as you are now, the doctor will most likely be killed. And so will I…" Closing her eyes, the woman sighed sadly. "How is it that my entire life has been his?"

("Because he was the one who created you, along with your little sisters. Petunia, Ivy, Jasmine, and Lotus…he gave them life so you didn't feel so lonely.") The little voice in the back of her head whispered reassuringly. ("Don't let your emotions control your actions, Magnolia. You know that this little 'creature' can't even understand you. Do you really wish to put yourself through such mental anguish, spilling your emotional 'guts' to a stupid bird?")

("No…you're right.") Magnolia slowly opened the tube. ("It's just…") A vision of Mew Sonic flashed in her mind. ("Love? No…love would mean that I actually cared about his well-being. It isn't love…it's something different.")

The voice went silent, and then spoke up. ("Maybe it is because of his age? Perhaps you feel like a parent to him?")

("Nonsense, I met the boy once and tried to kill him. What kind of logical sense does that make?") Scooping up the bundle of clothing, Magnolia felt the little bird within it struggle. "Hush…you'll be somewhere peaceful soon."

--------------------

Mew Pyro squared off once more against Lotus, both of them showing numerous wounds and bruises across their body. His burning rage had simmered down to a smoldering heat that kept his tired body moving. ("I mustn't lose this power, or else she'll gain an advantage I cannot afford.") A sudden chill ran up his spine, and an image of Caitlyn flashed in his mind. ("What was that? Have I started to go delusional? Perhaps I should try to end this faster?")

A cold fear suddenly clenched his heart, but he couldn't figure out why. ("Something has happened to Caitlyn? Why would I feel anything about it?")

"Prepare yourself!" Lotus formed another sword and launched right at Bruce like a rocket, the end of the blade aimed right for his heart.

("Why? Why not Grant? Why me?") Mew Pyro's whole body tingled again, and his tail and ears stood up on end. ("Why?") He barely did anything, much less tried to avoid getting skewered on Lotus' sword.

"Why aren't you moving?" Lotus' sword was inches from his chest, and suddenly it exploded into flames. Then she saw his Pyro Gauntlet-covered hand as it approached her face. ("My weapon can become flammable…he knew that.") Then his fist crashed into her left cheek and sent her hurtling backwards and through the hood of a car.

Mew Pyro slowly approached, his eyes shimmering. He suddenly fully understood why this image came to him. "Where is she?"

"Where…is who?" Lotus started to climb out of the wreckage of the car, but was kicked right in the stomach and formed deeper into the twisted metal.

"You know exactly who I am talking about! Where is she?" Mew Pyro felt his blood boil as he remembered what had happened to Caitlyn before. "Where are you keeping her?"

"Like I would tell you, even if I did know." Lotus smiled darkly. "What are you going to do, kill me?" Her smile turned to a look of surprise as his hand clasped over her throat and squeezed roughly enough that if she had been anything but superhuman, she wouldn't have had a windpipe anymore.

Mew Pyro's ears perked at the crack noises he heard. "Cowards don't deserve to be killed. They deserve things far more painful that just a simple death."

Lotus' eyes widened. ("He can't be serious…what kind of human was this boy?")

"Well?" Mew Pyro's hand tightened just a little more. "Tell me!"

Lotus materialized her sword and stabbed it into the engine of the car. There was a loud hissing noise and then the whole vehicle exploded, both Mew Pyro and her disappearing within the flames.

_To be continued…_

_The doctor's plans have failed, leaving Caitlyn trapped within the body of a bird. With Roger's whereabouts still unknown, will Bruce be able to find the location of the doctor and Caitlyn? Or did Lotus' desperate move kill them both? _


	13. Legend of the Black Wolf

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five Elements-The American Mew Mews

Chapter 13: Legend of the Black Wolf; Roger's legacy

_Many years ago…_

----------------

A heavenly song filled the air around the park, a brown-haired woman wearing a sun dress sitting underneath a large elm tree letting her voice echo up into the sky. Finally, her song reached its crescendo, and then silence held over the whole park…

Until her audience broke into wild applause that scared the birds in the tree up into the air and away.

Marianne Erickson bowed to her audience a couple of times. Then she noticed a pair of faces out of the crowd and kneeled down to whisper to the little brown-haired girl who was watching her in adoration. "Caitlyn, it looks like Harold and Roger are here too."

"Really?" The little girl jumped up to her feet, smoothed out of her pink dress, and then ran through the dispersing crowd to latch onto the leg of the man who stood like a beast amongst sheep.

Something about him radiated a feral strength that no one could deny. His incredibly long black hair hung down all the way to his back, and his leather biker's jacket seemed strained under the pull of his body's thick muscles. For a few moments he slowly tilted his face down to look down at the little girl who had hugged his leg, and then his dark look broke into a huge smile that instantly shattered the image of a predator. "Hey there, what's a cute little girl like you doing running away from your mother's side?" Lifting her up with one arm and balancing her off of his shoulder, he walked over to Marianne and chuckled. "It looks like Caitlyn got that dress she wanted? You gave out, didn't you?"

The woman stuck out her tongue so quickly that no one was sure whether it had really happened or not. "Only the best for my little song-bird. After all, one day she'll be the greatest singer in the world."

"I don't doubt it." Richard Grant set his friend's daughter down and turned back to look at a little boy who hadn't moved from the spot that he had been standing. "Well Roger, aren't you going to say hello to Caitlyn?"

"Psh…" The mop-headed little boy looked away, his hair almost completely obscuring his eyes from view.

Richard continued to smile as he walked over and smacked his son in the back of the head. "Don't be a jerk. Just come over and say hello!"

"Screw you, old man." Roger turned and started to walk off, right up until he was lifted up into the air by the collar of his shirt. "Hey! Put me down!"

Richard brought his son over and deposited him right in front of Caitlyn. "Now then Roger, what do you say?"

Roger squeezed his eyes shut and crossed his arms across his little chest. Apparently he wasn't going to say anything.

Richard sighed. "Fine, be a little brat." Turning to look at Marianne, he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry about that. I would think he'd eventually outgrow that whole stupid phase, but apparently he's stuck there."

Roger kicked his father in the shin for the comment, and got retaliation in the form of a kick to the chest.

Marianne was surprisingly calm, mostly because she knew that these two could take anything the other could dish out. They were both like monsters in that respect. "So tell me, what's the deal with Rachael? Is she really taking Walt with her to those business meetings?" She knew the truth, but wasn't sure if Roger knew anything about his father's 'job'.

"Oh yeah, she took him for the weekly shake-down of that one shop downtown." Richard blinked in surprise when she face-fell. "Is something the matter?"

"No…nothing at all…" Marianne hopped to her feet, amazed that those two were so open about it to their kids. ("They treat being criminals like it is a family business…ridiculous…") But she had known the Grants for the longest time, and they were good people at heart. Richard still scared her sometimes, because it was like he was sometimes on the verge of exploding, even when nothing was wrong at all.

Roger ignored the two stupid adults and their conversation, until he heard something else in the background. It was singing. Slowly, he turned to look over so that he could see Marianne singing. Despite the fact that she was a stupid adult, she really could sing very nicely…but she wasn't the one doing it.

Caitlyn sat at the base of the elm tree, singing a soothing melody. As she did this numerous of the birds who had flown off before flapped back in and landed on the branches of the tree, chirping and singing along with her. Then, as her song ended on a sweet note that held in the air like a puff of air, her eyes opened and she realized that Roger was sitting on his knees only about two feet from her. His crystal blue eyes looked almost entranced, and his whole body seemed relaxed. "Oh, hiya Roger. Whatcha looking at?"

Shaking his head out to try and clear the gripping haze that still clung to his mind, he tried to wipe the blush out of his cheeks. "Nothing! I'm fine!"

Richard snickered and crossed his arms across his chest. "Hey Marianne, can I get a recording of your little songbird's music? Apparently it can do something that nothing else can, and that's calm this brat down."

---------------------------------

"…looks like he's actually waking up. I'm serious boss, this kid is some kind of monster." Roger tried to open his eyes, but something was wrong…very wrong…

"He's the son of the Legendary Black Wolf of the west coast of America. Of course of he's a monster, just like his pop. I knew the guy…Richard Grant. He wasn't huge, but something about his stance always said that you couldn't beat him. It was like he was a demon from the pits of hell." A large man with a red beard wearing a t-shirt and pants leaned down towards Roger's ear. "You actually awake?"

"Where…" Roger's whole body hurt, and he couldn't see more than tiny blurs through the slits that he could make of his eyes.

"You're currently being held in a secret location of the Red Skulls 'base'." The man sighed and shook his head sadly at the horribly beaten form that was tied to the post in front of him. "You're a piece of work, kid. We were just supposed to capture you, but you kept fighting even while you were down. Sorry about it, but we had to break your right arm to make you pass out."

("That's it…") Roger knew now why he couldn't feel his right side. The damage must have been substantial for him to not even know about it until he was told that it had happened. ("But why did that memory wake me up?") An image of Caitlyn flashed in his mind.

The man gasped in surprise as he saw Roger immediately start squirming against his bonds. "Are you nuts? We just got your arm bandaged up…and…"

"Let…me…go!" Roger fought harder and harder, refusing to let the incredible pain he felt now put him down. "I…I…"

"Darn…" The man took something out of his shirt pocket and spoke into it. "You won't believe it, but this kid is actually trying to break free. What should I do?"

"_We just need him partially alive, enough for our employer to use. So go ahead and break his other arm, if you feel it necessary."_ The voice on the other end was emotionless about such a horrible idea.

The man grimaced and looked down at the kicking Roger. "Stop fighting it, it will make things easier."

"Shut up!" Roger gritted his teeth and screamed through them as a sickening crack filled the room momentarily. And then he was standing.

The man just stood there, jaw hanging open. ("He broke his arm again…to get free? What kind of willpower would that require?") Grabbing the baseball bat next to his side, he watched as Roger stumbled towards him. "You're insane…" Then he slammed the weapon down on Roger's good shoulder roughly. "Go to…" His eyes widened as Roger's hand shot up and knocked the bat away, sending it clattering to the other end of the room. "How could you possibly…"

"She needs me to save her, so move!" Then Roger slammed his head down onto the other man's nose as hard as he could. There was a loud crunch, and then the man dropped unconscious to the stone floor.

"Hey, what's happening in there?" The door was literally kicked open, and the guards who were positioned outside the door ran in.

Roger stood there, blood dripping down his right arm and his bruised eyes somehow open, both of them glowing a dark gold color. "You're letting me go, or I kill you all…"

"With a broken right arm, I don't think so kid." The guard who spoke started to laugh, but then felt pain shoot up his side like someone had stabbed him with red-hot needles. Slowly, he lowered his head to see that those eyes were locked right onto him. And the very prescense they gave off said that something powerful was within this boy…something that was angry.

Roger walked past both of the guards, no longer seeming to notice the damage that had been dealt to his right arm. ("Caitlyn…I'm coming to rescue you…")

--------------------

"His scent ends here." Mew Terra dropped Walt unceremoniously to the ground in front of a warehouse that was located somewhere on the fringes of the warehouse district of the city.

Leaping to his feet and rubbing his very sore rear, the teen crossed his arms across his chest and leaned in towards her. "So tell me something…at what point and time did you join the insane group my brother wound up with?"

"Is it really the time for that?" Mew Terra narrowed her eyes, and then froze up as she felt something tug her tail a couple of times. "What are you…."

"Just wanted to see if it was real or not." Then Walt was on the concrete, a huge bruise on the right side of his face.

Mew Terra glared at him and then walked towards the warehouse. "I'll get him. Just stay outside here."

"Actually, you'll be a little bit busy." A calm female voice spoke from nearby, at a parked limousine that was by a nearby warehouse. As the woman walked into open sight, she revealed a crop of red hair and a dress made of green plant matter that she was wearing. "My name is Petunia, not that it really matters. You won't live long enough to meet me again." Snapping her fingers, she smiled calmly as a loud roar shook the surrounding buildings. "Allow me to introduce a cousin of the Basilisk Type I. It's name is Chimera Type I, and it's looking forward to meeting you, Mew Terra."

A shape the size of an SUV came leaping from around a corner. It was made up of green plant matter, and had a body like that of a headless lion with wings. Where the neck should have been on a normal lion, there was a roaring cavity.

Petunia pointed at Mew Terra. "It's time to go play, my little child. Swallow her whole!"

The Chimera roared and launched right at Mew Terra, biting down on her shoulder. Then it roared in confusion as the Mew Terra it had bitten into turned to sand.

"Huh?" Petunia wished there was at least a little bit of plant life around here, so that she could use it to help her detect Mew Terra's location. ("Where'd you go?")

"It's a shame that you don't understand what I am." Mew Terra caught both of their attentions as she called out from the top of a nearby warehouse roof. A cold wind blew through her coat, kicking it up behind her. "I am a fox, a trickster. As such, you won't find me so easy to beat up as you did the other two. Unlike them, my skill is tact…" Drawing both of her revolvers, she aimed them right at the Chimera. "…and these too, of course! Terra Fox Storm!" A rain of compressed air bullets came slamming down and pummeled the monster, filling it with holes.

Petunia gritted her teeth and pointed up at the girl. "Go Chimera, consume…" Her eyes widened as Mew Terra had disappeared from the rooftop. "Where'd she go?" A roar from Chimera caught her attention, and she looked at it quickly. "That's…no…"

Mew Terra stood ten feet from the creature, both of her revolvers spinning on her index fingers. "And now for the killing shot! Allow me to show you what happens when someone actually knows how to use their finishing technique!" Throwing both of the revolvers into the air, she ran right at the Chimera and vaulted off of its back, too fast for it to follow with its body movements.

Petunia knew that now was her best chance at running…

Mew Terra caught both of her revolvers in mid-air and aimed them down at the Chimera. "It ends here! Ribbon…" The air around her grew hazy and distorted. "…Terra Waltz!" Then there were twelve of her, in different areas surrounding the creature. "Twelve shots." All at once they each fired a single bullet, each of which collided in the very center of the monster's body. With one explosive collision, they instantly destroyed the Chimera.

Petunia was already driving off by the time her monster had been destroyed. ("Impossible….are they really that strong? Have we been outclassed since the beginning?")

Mew Terra landed on the ground, her other eleven selves already gone. "That was surprisingly easy."

Walt chuckled and patted her on the shoulder, grinning at her startled jump in reaction to it. "Indeed, you are truly light years stronger than my little brother."

("How did he sneak up on me so easily?") Mew Terra suddenly felt a surge of energy from inside the warehouse she had detected Roger in. "Do you feel that?"

"Feel what?" Walt started to chuckle…but it died down as the beads of sweat on his cheek began to multiply. ("What was that?")

----------------

Screams came from within somewhere deeper in the building, and the men stationed at the entrance to the warehouse felt like they were trapped in some horror movie. What could possibly be going on back there?

They had already armed themselves appropriately with firearms, but even with them they still felt strangely unprotected, as if they were trying to stop a train with a metal pipe.

The screams of pain grew louder, and then the whole building shook from some kind of mighty impact that had happened back there. The sound of running footsteps came from down the hall, and then the door opened.

All of the ten guards stationed at the entrance lifted their guns at once, but dropped them when they recognized the runner as one of their own.

The man looked distraught and afraid, as if the devil was chasing him. "We have to run…he's not human…"

"What are you talking about? He's just a…" The guard went silent as they heard footsteps coming from the other end of the hall.

Mew Sonic calmly walked towards them, his eyes still glowing that dark gold color. "Get out of my way." He didn't look damaged at all, as if everything that had been done to Roger had been negated.

All of the guards started to lift their weapons, but then felt an invisible force push against them. It was like facing some kind of air pressure…but different…

Mew Sonic walked right past them all, not even bothering to pay them back for what had happened to him. He had much more important things to do.

-----------------

Mew Terra shivered as she saw Mew Sonic step out of the warehouse. His eyes were a strange dark gold color, and his entire body seemed to be rippling with some kind of energy. Physically, he looked the same…but something about him spoke of a strength he didn't have before. ("What happened to him in the course of an hour?")

"We're going to find out where Caitlyn is." Mew Sonic stopped a few feet from Walt. "Call your…"

"There's no need." A smell like charcoal filled the air as Mew Pyro seemed to just appear at the other end of the courtyard. "I found out where their base is." He motioned to the unconscious Lotus over his shoulder. "She proved to be very talkative once she saw that I am immune to fire."

"Fine…whatever…" Mew Sonic looked up at the sky, and the entire courtyard was suddenly lit up in a golden glow. "I'm killing the guy behind this all…just to let you all know ahead of time."

Neither Mew Terra nor Mew Pyro was stupid enough to argue with him.

-----------------------

The man chuckled as he heard the door behind him open. "Ah Jasmine…I assume you returned because you saw what had happened to Lotus and Petunia."

"Yes sir." The fifth of the plant sisters, obscured by shadow, bowed gently. "Petunia is returning here as we speak, and Lotus has been captured. We can assume they are coming here right now. However, the advantage is ours…"

"Extend your senses to the sentry plants by the entrance of my estate." The man laced his fingers together, continuing to smile in amusement as he heard his creation gasp in surprise. "His power has already risen considerably. It would take at least three of you to overpower him now. Apparently when he pushed his power over its limit, the response was that somehow he found an even deeper storage of energy within his body. Now he's even stronger than before."

"What…what should we do?" Jasmine didn't know what to do now. Their original plan wouldn't work if Mew Sonic was this much stronger than before.

"It's quite simple…we'll simply unlock the Type II Bio-monsters." The man chuckled again. "Please, go wake up the Behemoth Type II Bio-monsters, if you could."

"Of course sir," Jasmine bowed once more and disappeared.

_To be continued…_

_And so the first meeting between the mysterious man behind the plant sisters and Mew Sonic are set in motion. What will come of it when Roger finds out what has happened to Caitlyn? Will the boy be driven to do the unspeakable and kill another human being?_


	14. Recollections of a Scarred Past

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew, I'm just making use of their universe.

Quick Note: By special request, let's have a look at the history of the plant sisters.

Five Elements; The American Mew Mews

Chapter 14: Recollections of a Scarred Past

A beautiful melody echoed throughout the chamber as the little green songbird chirped over and over again throughout the warm static environment it had been stored in. All that was there was a single elm tree, but it was enough.

Magnolia sat next to Ivy, both of them sitting right in front of the glass case of the environment and listening to the voice of the little bird. "You know, perhaps not all humans are so bad."

"Huh?" The little blue-haired girl looked over at her big sister quizzically. "What's that mean? Aren't they just silly little creatures we can do what we wish with? That's what boss says…"

"Of course…but…" Magnolia closed her eyes and sighed. "Never mind, you're far too young for what I'm speaking."

"Hey, I'm really smart for my age!" Ivy hopped to her feet and pointed at her sister. "Now explain what you meant."

Magnolia slowly opened her eyes and looked at her sister sadly. "Where did you pick up that tone of voice?"

Ivy giggled, smiling sweetly. "From Lotus! She taught me all kinds of good things, like how to…"

"I should have known. She always has been an unstable girl." Magnolia stood up and brushed her dress off, still listening to that strangely cheerful song the bird was singing. "It's interesting that such a little creature has the strength to sing for over two hours straight."

"She's sad…but doesn't want to show it." Ivy leaned over the railing that separated them from the enclosed habitat. "She wants someone to rescue her…"

"Stupid, that's not it at all. Or have forgotten she's just an animal now…" Magnolia felt a twinge of pain in her heart. "Ivy…do you remember when you were born?"

"Of course." The little girl turned strangely thoughtful, the look odd on her cute little face. "When I was born, I heard the boss' voice first. He said something silly, and then I met you!" The memory brought her to suddenly glomp onto Magnolia. "It was such a good time for me! There were so many fun things that I got to do!"

"Yes, there was." Magnolia chuckled calmly. "You were a strange little girl. Even when the boss did some rather horrible things, you just giggled and acted like there was nothing wrong at all."

"What horrible things?" Ivy tilted her head to the side. "Do you mean like that one time when the boss got mad at you?"

Magnolia felt her right hand twitch as the memories of that time came to her.

---------------

_The doctor sat back in his chair, face covered by shadow as he looked upon his first creation. To his side sat Ivy, looking as obliviously happy as ever. "Tell me something…Magnolia."_

_The woman continued to kneel. "Yes sir."_

"_Why did you fail in this mission?" The man sounded infinitely calm and relaxed, as if the fact that he had just lost the perfect batch of research materials meant nothing at all to him._

"_I'm sorry sir, there were too many of them. I tried with all my might to get them…but…"_

"_Extend your hand to me." The man leaned forward slightly._

_Magnolia did so without hesitation, and then her eyes widened in pain as she felt his hand grab hers and squeeze hard enough to turn the bones of that hand into powder. Screams of pain tore through her insides, but outwardly she didn't make a single sound._

"_I gave you life…and when you told me that you were lonely, I gave you your little sister." The man continued to squeeze what was left of her right hand. "If you ever fail me again, I won't be so merciful as to fix your hand for you."_

_Ivy just sat there, watching with a confused look on her face. From what she could tell, it just looked like their boss was giving her older sister a handshake._

_Finally, the man let go and stood up. "Now come along, and I'll repair that horrible wound you got on your mission."_

"_T…Thank you very much sir." Magnolia stood up, trying not to pass out from the pain._

------------------

"Yes…when he got…mad at me." Magnolia had never failed a mission after that time, her fear of their boss refusing to allow her to fail. "Our life has been so sheltered. We've only been outside of the compound to do missions. Why is it that the boss doesn't want us to leave otherwise?"

"I don't know." Ivy shrugged and continued to balance atop the railing, walking around the enclosure over and over again. "Maybe he thinks that the humans will do something to us if we stay too close to them for too long?"

("That can't be it…") Magnolia closed her eyes and for some reason she saw the image of that girl, screaming in the tube right before the mixture had been injected into her. ("Why do I feel so bad about your fate? You were a human. You were a plight upon the planet that would belong to us. Why do I feel so sorry for what has happened to you? Is it because I worry what the boy may do when he finds out what had happened to you?")

That couldn't be it either though. She had seen her boss when he actually did fight. There was no way that little child could even hope to scratch someone as powerful as the one who created her. ("He is strong enough to destroy the very stone around him with his energy. The boy will be ripped apart.") Another painful little surge went through her heart. ("Why do I feel anything concerning that boy?")

"Is something the matter, sister?" Ivy leaned in, her face already inches from Magnolia's.

"No, I'm just thinking." Magnolia smiled and touched foreheads with her little sister. "You're the only person I can talk to who can cheer me up when I feel down or confused. Lotus is simply focused on improving her fighting skills, Petunia is too busy being the boss' lap-dog, and Jasmine…" She felt tingles run up her spine at the mention of the middle sister. ("Something about her is just wrong. She's too calm, as if she is hiding some horrible secret.")

----------------------------

The doctor sat back in his lab chair, watching the computer screens in front of him as image after image of genetic monsters fighting each other flickered across the screens. ("My line of work is such an interesting one…") He crossed his arms and smiled in amusement. ("The life of a man such as myself will never get boring…getting to play god never is boring at all.")

Then an image of Mew Sonic appeared on the screen. "And you are one of the reasons why, Grant. Honestly, your creation was never in my equations, and because of you I had to make drastic changes to my plans." His fist pounded into the tabletop, tearing a huge hunk of the wood away. "You were such an annoyance…but now…I see that you might just be the best thing to ever happen to me. I can do a lot with a being of your potential under my control. All I have to do is bring out the real strength you have, not the pitiful modicum that allows you to fight battle after battle without exhausting your energy supply at all."

He had spent too many years of life working towards creating a strong genetic creation without having to tolerate this boy's stupid actions. ("He has all the power necessary to utterly destroy Magnolia and the others, yet every time he fights any of my creations they nearly beat him.")

------------------------------

Magnolia stood up and stretched her legs out. "What do you think, Ivy? Can we defeat those three who are coming here?"

"Of course! As long as we work together it won't be a problem!" The little girl hopped back up onto the railing and formed her bow out of thin air. "If all else fails, we'll just take them out from a distance with my bow."

Magnolia wished that she could have her little sister's confidence, but she knew better than to think the Mew Mews weak. ("Their power is derived from their desire to protect something, so when the boy finds out about what happened to the girl, if boss' theory is right, then his power will skyrocket to heights that are far above our own.")

An image of her boss standing tall flashed in her mind, and she shivered up and down in fear at that single memory. She had only seen him when he was fighting once, and she never wanted to see it again. He fought in a way that reminded her of what she had seen Mew Sonic do to Mew Pyro, but his method was much more controlled and twenty times more vicious. ("That boy won't win against the boss.")

Ivy noticed that her sister had gotten all quiet again. "What's the matter with you, sister? Are you worried about me and what'll happen when we fight those intruders?"

Magnolia shook her head. ("No…I fear for the boy. I can't help it, I fear for his life. The boss will kill him…there is no doubt in my mind. It would take all five of them to even get close to his level of power.") "Ivy, do you think that the boss plans to deal with the intruders himself?"

"If it comes to it, but I hope not. Wherever he fights always get so messy after he is done. Why does he have to make the people he fights explode like that?" The little girl seemed as impenetrable as ever emotionally.

Magnolia shivered again. "Because he enjoys fighting…and killing."

Alarms suddenly sprang to life, and Magnolia grimaced. "They're here already? How could they have found of so swiftly?"

--------------------

A pair of Basilisk Type I bio-monsters roared and charged right at Mew Sonic, who stood at the very edge of the estate that separated the public land from that owned by the man he intended to defeat.

Lotus had taken them to a place far off from the city limits by almost an hour by car. By superhuman feet it had taken them about that amount of time too, but it didn't matter to any of them. To rescue Caitlyn they would run to the ends of the earth and back.

One of the Basilisks threw a huge fist at Mew Sonic, but he stepped aside. "Bang."

Mew Terra, who had been standing behind the boy, lifted both of her revolvers at once and fired, sending the creature stumbling back. "You want this one or…"

"Come on out, Sonic Jammer!" Mew Sonic slammed the butt of the instrument down onto the headless body of one of the monsters, and then he kicked it right into the other one. "Ribbon Sonic Dissonance!" Slamming his hands across the strings, he barely flinched at the explosion of sonic energy that cratered the ground around him and instantly evaporated the two monsters. "Alright, let's go already!"

----------------------

The doctor chuckled again. "It's amazing that you can suddenly use your finishing technique like that, but shouldn't you preserve your energy for me?"

"Doctor, the Behemoth Type II is ready." Jasmine appeared out of the shadows behind the man.

"Good, release it and make sure it knows to go after Mew Sonic first. I want to see how far the boy can push his energy before it gives out." The doctor tapped a button on his coat pocket. "Magnolia, bring the bird to the arena room. I need it somewhere where it cannot escape, but the boy will see it when I wish him to."

"_As you wish, sir. But do you think he can defeat the Behemoth Type II? Didn't you say that its strength was somewhere in the C- class?"_

"That's none of your concern at all." The man turned and walked towards the arena area. "I want all of you on hand in case I need you, though I doubt that will be the case. The boy is strong, but when he faces me he'll find himself more than slightly outclassed." Then the door in front of him slid open and he was gone.

-----------------------

Walt continued to hang onto Mew Pyro for all he was worth, feeling like he was stuck to the roof of a car. "Jeez, do we have to go so fast?"

"In this case, yes we do. If you didn't want to come, you should have said so before." The silver-haired boy flicked his ears a couple of times and whistled sharply. "Something is running alongside us on the other forest trail. From the sounds it's making, I'll assume it isn't a natural creature." He would have just attacked it, but he was carrying Walt with him and he wouldn't risk the life of his rival's older brother.

An earth-shaking roar literally forced them all to stop, lest they lose their balance and crash at near car speeds into something.

A giant form launched into the air above them, roughly the size of a man. While they all scattered, it crashed down onto the trail and suddenly grew in size until it was as big as a car. It looked something like a Basilisk, but its body was bright red and the muscles it had were much larger than the original's. Opening its chest cavity, the monster swelled up in size once more, muscles exploding to sizes impossible to achieve by anything of the animal kingdom.

"Big, but stupid." Mew Sonic held up his Sonic Jammer. "Ribbon…"

The creature snapped one arm around and back-handed the boy's whole body, sending him crashing through three trees until he came to a stop indented into the fourth.

Mew Terra snapped up her revolvers and aimed right for the creature's chest cavity. "You won't get me that easily!" She face-fell as the creature suddenly turned and leapt through the brush in the direction of where Mew Sonic had gone. "What's it doing? Why is it just going after him?"

"His target must be Grant." Mew Pyro motioned to Walt. "Get off please. Mew Terra, shall we remind the creature that we're not to be underestimated?"

"Of course." The teenage girl smiled confidently and aimed both of her guns at the creature's back. "Fox Terra Storm!"

The Behemoth roared in pain as bullet holes exploded out of its chest and legs. It continued to stomp towards the unmoving Mew Sonic though, unaffected by the damage it had just taken.

Mew Pyro literally dropped right in front of it, hanging in mid-air with his fists glowing like embers from a fire. "Your opponents are right here! Inferno Punch Rapid-fire!" Then he was slamming burning blow after blow into the creature's body, but no matter how hard he tried it didn't seem to leave anything more than slight burn marks across the giant monster's chest.

The Behemoth roared again and slapped him out of its way, continuing towards its pre-programmed target. That target was more important to it than all other possible things it could. It wanted to taste his blood so badly…to chew his bones.

Mew Sonic slowly stood up, eyes calm. "Caitlyn is waiting for me in your master's little home…so I hope you'll excuse me if I make this quick!" Then his right fist started to glow with a golden aura. "I'll end it with this! Chaos Barrage!" Then his fist seemed to blur, and the Behemoth roared in confused pain as dozens of little indents in its flesh appeared all over its front. "Damn, stubborn beast…"

Mew Pyro landed next to his rival. "Go, save Caitlyn. We'll join you shortly."

"Fine, but don't you dare die." Mew Sonic turned and ran towards the general direction of the house. He would find it soon enough, and then he would decapitate the man behind all of this.

------------------

The doctor stood in the dark arena, feeling the air around him shift as he adjusted to the feel of the room. Slowly but surely he made mental notes of the shape of the circular walls, just in case he had to fight with the lighting completely off. "Is everything in position Ivy?"

"Yes sir!" The little girl leapt down to the ground from the high perch she had been at and ran up to him. "So now what do we do, boss?"

The man chuckled again and patted his creation on the head. "We sit back and wait for the boy to arrive. The whole facility is set up to offer him only one way to go, and that way is straight to me." Soon he would meet Mew Sonic face to face, and he looked forward to that meeting far more than he knew he should have.

_To be continued…_

_And so Mew Sonic has gone ahead, alone. What is the source of the doctor's confidence in his strength? And what does he want Roger for anyway?_


	15. The Dark Truth of the Matter

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew, I just use the world.

Five Elements; The American Mew Mews

Chapter 15: The Dark Truth of the Matter

The doctor smiled calmly, hearing another of the doors in his compound blown to shreds. ("He's in quite a hurry to get to me. He's blowing right through the doors to lead himself straight to my position like a missile. It's interesting that he possesses such a strong sense of tracking. I thought he was stupid, but maybe he just has intelligence in areas I haven't fathomed to test him in. Oh well, it doesn't matter at all. Soon he'll be here and then the fun can begin.")

---------------------

Mew Sonic threw himself through another door, blowing the whole thing off of its hinges with the force of his run. He wouldn't slow until he had gotten to the man behind all of this madness and pounded his sorry butt until there was nothing left of him.

Slamming his boot into another door, he slid to a stop as he found himself within some kind of giant circular room. The robin's egg-colored walls were smooth, and none of them ended in a point. Slowly, he walked into the very dark room and instantly every hair on the back of his neck shot up as he realized he wasn't alone in here. "Who's there? Magnolia maybe? Or another of you freaks?"

"No….not this time." The lights increased a little bit to reveal a brown-haired man wearing a pair of wire-frame glasses and a white lab coat. His almost orange eyes looked right at Mew Sonic, and his lips curled into a smile. By no means did the doctor look like any kind of fighter, considering his 5'6" height and his rather normal human build. "I have been waiting for you, Roger Grant. Or would you prefer me to call you Mew Sonic at this time?"

"You're the guy behind this, aren't you?" Mew Sonic flexed his arm a few times, feeling his blood rise. "And you're the guy that ordered Caitlyn be kidnapped."

"That's right on both accounts, good work detective." The doctor started to laugh, until he realized that Mew Sonic had disappeared.

"I've got something for you!" The boy's left hand spun the doctor around, while his right hand crashed as hard as it possibly could into the man's cheek, sending him flying to the other end of the room and into the wall. "And there's more where that came from."

"That's a shame…" The doctor slowly stood up and popped his jaw back into place. Other than the skid marks on his skin where Mew Sonic's fist had connected, there was no noticeable damage to him. "I have to admit that you're definitely stronger than you were at the start. Tell me, did you know that there is a strength scale for determining how powerful a genetic construct is?"

"You like to listen to yourself talk way too much." Mew Sonic charged right at the doctor, fist cocked back to strike.

"There are two ways to evaluate one's strength, either through a letter system, like a grade, or through a number system. I much prefer the letter system myself, because it reminds me of school, one of my favorite places of all time." The doctor took another punch to the face, slamming him back-first into the wall and forcing him into an insane roll that sent him all the way to the open doorway that Mew Sonic had first entered the room through. As soon as his feet touched the ground though, he stopped moving and rubbed his face with a hand. "The world is full of all kinds of creations of the genetic variety. Each and every single one of them unique in their own way."

"Just fight me!" Mew Sonic launched at the doctor again, starting to get unnerved by the man's apparently infinite patience. He slammed his fist right into the doctor's diaphragm and sent him skidding backwards into the hallway. "I plan on killing you, so why don't you fight back? I know you have the strength to."

"Because I'm currently having a conversation with you. Why should I stop talking just to join you in your little game? So you can vent your anger out on me? No…I won't allow that." The doctor disappeared and appeared back within the room, brushing back his disheveled hair with a hand. "Of course, if you hear me out then I'll be glad to fight you to your heart's content."

"Fine…just make it quick." Mew Sonic slowly lowered his fists and turned to face the doctor. "I want to destroy you as soon as possible, but if there is one thing I can't stand it is when someone actually ignores the fact that they are fighting in the middle of a fight."

"Indeed." The doctor had lost his glasses long ago, but apparently he could see just fine. "My name is Heinrich Olson. I was once the business partner of a man I'm sure you have met, Professor Excelsior. Then two years ago he and I had a little disagreement over the ethics of a certain experiment I had been working on, so we had a little falling out. I left to go and continue my research elsewhere."

He slowly removed his lab coat and threw it to the side, revealing a skin-tight white sweater underneath. "Then one day I discovered an amazing thing…a thing called genetic amplification. I could, using the proper genetic process, create and amplify the strength of living creatures. Hence why Magnolia, my first creation, exists. She was the perfect weapon…a plant and a human combined into one. Then there were her sisters, each of which was created by using different kinds of plant cells and human cells. It's rather humorous that plants were the basis of my research, and yet I used the creations from that research to kill."

"It's sick, and that's all." Mew Sonic wanted to pummel this guy even more than before, if that was possible. "Are you telling me that you've been creating humans, and telling them to kill for you? What kind of coward does that?"

"Coward?" Olson stretched his muscles out slowly. "What makes you think I'm a coward? Because I don't immediately resort to the brute force tactics that you use?"

"I've had enough of this! You just like to listen yourself talk!" Mew Sonic snapped up his fists. "Let's go!"

Sighing, Olson cracked his knuckles. "Very well, but I hope you can last against me."

"Heh…don't you worry about…huh?" Mew Sonic's eyes widened as Olson seemed to just disappear. ("Where'd he go?")

Olson cocked back his fist, about to drive it through the boy's skull from behind. ("Too easy…") His fist rocketed down…and was caught by Mew Sonic's open palm. "What?"

Mew Sonic slowly turned his head, an evil smile on his face. "Just kidding." Then he drove his foot into the man's stomach, sending Olson crashing into the circular walls of the arena again. "It's such a damn shame you're just a human, or maybe I'd be afraid of you."

"Is that so?" Olson stood up and brushed his hair back again. "I'll show you just how human I am. Let's go." And then he disappeared again.

Mew Sonic's eyes slowly surveyed the room, and then he was moving, legs kicking out. When he felt resistance and heard a gasp of pain, his savage smile grew wider. "Give it up doc, you're out of luck. I'm not your average opponent, you know that."

Olson slowly stood up, back to the circular wall of the dim room. ("His power is much more impressive than I had believed at first.") He wiped a little smudge of blood from his cheek where his skin had torn against the surface of the wall.

Mew Sonic flew in like a bullet, his elbow slamming into the doctor's ribs and forcing the man against the wall again. "Don't think I'll just stand there like an idiot and revel in the fact that you can't beat me!" His head snapped in and he slammed foreheads with Olson. "I intend to kill you! So don't just stand there and take it, you'd better fight back!"

Olson smiled slightly, his eyes still reflecting confidence despite the fact Mew Sonic was rapidly destroying his body. ("His power level is at least a C now…impressive, considering he has only been transformed for a few days now.")

Mew Sonic roared and continued to pound away with his fists, no longer in the mood for banter with the meat sack in front of him. That's all this doctor was, apparently, because he certainly wasn't any kind of fighter. A fighter would have done something to avoid the lethal blows he was landing by now. In fact, he could feel the doctor's body giving way much easier to his hits, meaning that he had tenderized the man's internal organs and bones to near mush. ("Why won't he stop smiling though? And more importantly, why won't he fall down?")

Olson just stood there calmly, letting each and every blow slam against him with bone-shattering force. ("It's interesting…to think that despite the damage to my body, I'm completely in control of this fight.")

Mew Sonic finally stopped his insane barrage, hopping back a few steps as he felt more and more unnerved by the fact that this guy was apparently incapable of feeling pain. "What are you? You couldn't be human…because a human would be dead by now."

"Me?" The man spoke through lips that shouldn't have been able to form words. "I am as close to perfection as I have ever reached. Have you not yet noticed that your punches were strangely…buffered?"

Mew Sonic looked down at his knuckles and narrowed his eyes. ("Why do I have this sudden feeling…like…") It wasn't fear or anger anymore, but now it was curiosity. He just wanted to see exactly what this man was capable of.

Olson slowly stepped forwards, his twisted and damage lips trying to smile. "Honestly…did you think that I'd fight you if you could do this kind of damage to me?"

"Well, since I just did that damage to you I'll say yes to that." Roger cracked his knuckles a couple of times. "Just give it up, doctor freakazoid. You're tough, I'll give you that. But otherwise, you aren't anything compared to me."

"Is that so?" The doctor's calm eyes grew even more relaxed. "I think I'll show you something…" Suddenly he exploded outwards, all of his muscles bulging and stretching as he literally doubled is size. His sweater tore to shreds, while his khaki pants stretching and tore at the seams, leaving him now wearing shorts rather than pants. His entire body seemed to snap back in place, leaving the now giant of man to pop his joints back into place as he instantly recovered from the damage that Mew Sonic had dealt him. "This is something closer to my true form, though it still holds the basic trappings of my human cover."

Mew Sonic just stood there, trying as hard as he could not to sweat at all. ("What kind of monster is this thing? He just popped back from the damage I dealt him like it was nothing at all.") His confidence flared up momentarily as he remembered that his attack Olson before had been only half-hearted, which meant that if he gave it his real all then he should be able to win.

One of Olson's melon-sized fists flexed once. "Now then, shall I actually fight you like it matters to me whether you land blows or not?"

Mew Sonic visibly clenched his teeth and bent at the knees. "Don't underestimate me!" Then he launched right at the man and crashed his knee into Olson's chin, forcing the man's head to lift up slightly. However…he quickly realized that it hadn't done anything more than move him. ("How could that not have hurt him?")

Olson back-handed Mew Sonic away, the boy hitting head-first into the wall with a crash and sliding to the ground slowly and unmoving. "What was that? I know you have more power in your attacks than that. Don't treat me like any normal enemy. Fight me like it matters, or perhaps you would like Caitlyn injured instead?"

Mew Sonic was suddenly moving, a sand and black-colored blur that crashed right into the giant's abdomen and forced him back a foot. "Don't you dare touch her!" Then he unleashed a flurry of enraged punches on the man's literal eight-pack of muscle.

Olson continued to slide back, inch by inch for each landed punch. His face actually contorted in pain slightly. Finally, after allowing the boy to go berserk on him for about fifteen seconds or so, his hand shot up with impossible speed and grabbed Mew Sonic by the vest, bringing him up to eye level with the genetic giant.

"Is that all you can do? Just punch and kick like a brute?" Then his other fist cocked back and flew forward so fast that it sounded like a cannon being fired. When it connected, it seemed to go through Mew Sonic more than into him. It actually carried him along with it as it launched, and when it stopped he kept going through the air until his back connected with the wall. Except the wall couldn't contain the force this time, and Mew Sonic actually started to go through the exceptionally thick stone for a few seconds, before the force of the punch finally subsided.

As he dropped from his indentation in the wall to his knees on the ground, Mew Sonic coughed up small puddles worth of blood as he clutched at his gut in desperation to quell the pain. Rolling onto his side, he gritted back screams of pain as his entire body suffered because of the force of the blow.

Olson stood there silently, his two orange eyes evaluating the pitiful creature in front of him. ("What kind of sad excuse for a being is this boy? I hit him once and it's almost enough to knock him unconscious.") Flexing the muscles of his right arm a couple times, the doctor slowly walked towards the cowering child like an angry parent. "I expected more out of you. Did it only take one punch from me to stop your anger in its tracks?" He nudged the boy's back a couple of times with his shoe. "Well?"

Suddenly Mew Sonic was in the air right above Olson, his right fist glowing golden. "Chaos Barrage!"

Olson felt the building energy and smiled slightly at the ingenuity behind what the boy had managed to do. ("By releasing his energy in a line, he can create a machine-gun like attack that simulates the damage punches can do…very good, but too slow.") He disappeared from sight, the powerful barrage of sonic strikes hitting the stone floor and tearing the rock to shreds and bits of dust.

Mew Sonic stared at the place the doctor had been in amazement. ("Where'd he go? There was no way he could have just moved out of the way!")

Olson, who was in the air right above the boy, brought his fist crashing down on the back of Mew Sonic's neck. There was a loud crack noise and Mew Sonic went silent, crashing down into the floor without the slightest noise. ("Hm, did I break him?")

Mew Sonic slowly tried to stand up, but felt a huge foot crash into his ribs and instantly break two of them. But that pain was forgotten as his back met the wall again, and then sank into the wall again.

Olson chuckled as he watched the boy actually drop to the ground standing this time. "It's amazing…you are actually getting a little more resilient to my attacks. Considering the ridiculously short amount of time you've actually been exposed to them, I have to admit that your endurance levels are intriguing."

"Shut up…" Mew Sonic tried to stand, but found that his legs refused to respond to his commands. "Come on…show me what you've really got."

"I would, but I fear that seeing my real form would scare you to death." Whether or not Olson was joking, Mew Sonic couldn't tell. "Besides, if this is honestly the best entertainment that you can provide me, I'll just have to find another way to keep myself entertained." Grabbing the boy by the back of the neck, he snapped the fingers of his other hand.

The circular wall of the arena turned rapidly, as if the whole room was meant to rotate. Then when it came to a stop they were both facing what seemed to be a small park, where there had originally been a featureless blue wall. In the center of the park rested a giant elm tree. It was a scene that would inspire a painter to make a masterpiece.

Olson's hand wrapped around Mew Sonic's neck so that he could easily make sure the boy was looking in the direction he wanted him to. "Take a look. Isn't it such a beautiful place? I come here whenever I feel like I need to think about something philosophical."

"Yeah…it's a great place to put your grave…" Mew Sonic started to struggle, until the hand that engulfed his head tightened just enough to cut off his air supply.

"When I was a child, the other children always thought I was weird to be spending so much time with the flowers and other plants around our home. I've always had an obsession with botany, and when I learned about genetics my mind swam with all of the possibilities of what could come from the integration of plant genetic codes with those of human beings." He spoke as though he was talking to himself instead of the boy whose head he held in an air-blocking neck squeeze. "I could cure diseases…save millions of lives…"

"But then it happened…" Olson's hand clenched tighter and Mew Sonic started to make little squeaking noises as he felt his neck beginning to break. "…the day they killed her…" His voice grew quiet…and angry. "My wife, one of the sweetest and most innocent women on the planet, was killed by a fanatic group that opposed my research. They thought it would scare me into stopping…but it had the opposite effect. They were the first to feel these hands crush their windpipes…"

Mew Sonic felt himself starting to black out, unable to even think properly anymore.

The rays of simulated sunlight fell down onto the tree, and a loud chirping came from within the boughs of the elm.

"Can you hear that?" Olson lifted his arm up a little more to position Mew Sonic closer to the tree. "Can you hear my little songbird's music?" As if on cue, a sweet melody came echoing from within the little park and echoed down off the walls of the arena. It was so innocent and so full of cheery energy. Mew Sonic, in his weakened and now dying state, felt like he had heard that song once before.

"She's singing about you." Olson refused to let his grip relax. If the boy died, then so be it. At his current strength level, he wasn't worth the effort of saving. "She thinks her knight in shining armor will come to her rescue. Isn't it a shame that knight is currently on death's door?"

Mew Sonic's tired and glazed over eyes barely registered the voices around him. That song was the only thing that was piercing the haze, and he wasn't even sure what it meant.

"She screamed your name while I worked on her body…and in the end it didn't matter at all. I thought that perhaps you would actually have been strong enough to defeat me…but sadly I was mistaken." Olson leaned his head in to whisper right into one of those drooped wolf ears. "Caitlyn's little bird brain can't comprehend it now, but her last hope of leaving my control is about to die."

Mew Sonic's hazed eyes started to tear up, and he went lax as his lack of air began to kill him. He was already unconscious, now it was just a matter of heartbeats until he died.

"And so the story ends with the knight defeated and the monster triumphant." Olson sighed as he felt Mew Sonic's heart beat its last. There was a weak flash of light as the superhuman reverted back to Roger Grant. "What a sad time we live in that our fairy tales must be like this." He walked over to the trunk of the elm tree and placed Roger's body against the trunk of tree. "You were right about one thing. This is going to be one of our graves." Then he turned and started to walk away, his emotionless and cold eyes locked on the doorway out of this arena. He was a busy man and he had things on his schedule today.

_To be continued…_

_Has the hero really fallen? With Heinrich's power being far more than his, Roger has been defeated and now lies lifeless at the base of the tree that serves as the home of the girl he had come to save…is this where it all ends? Or can Mew Pyro and Mew Terra avenge their fallen comrade?_

To Nyaa-Neko: Is there a method for me to speak with you outside of this fic? There is a question I would like to ask you. My profile has my email address, so feel free contact me if you wish to.


	16. Heart of Battle

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five Elements; The American Mews

Chapter 16: Heart of Battle

Mew Pyro grunted and slowly managed to work himself out from underneath the remains of the Behemoth. "How much does this freaking thing weigh anyway?"

"It looks like close to over five tons at its current size." Mew Terra brushed back a few strands of her hair and kicked the enormous, almost house-sized hunk of melted plant matter that was left in the clearing where they had fought it. "Anyway, are we ready to go? I'm sure that Mew Sonic has already defeated that doctor and all of his servants."

"Of course, let's get going." Mew Pyro started to walk away…and froze as he felt his heart skip a beat. ("What was that?")

A loud thud reminded them that they weren't alone, and they both turned back to see that Walt was on his knees and clutching at his chest.

The teen stared at the ground, his crystal blue eyes wide and his hand squeezing at the area of his chest that his heart was located in. "Roger…no…you can't die…I won't let you…"

Those words brought Mew Pyro instantly to his rival's brother's side. "What did you say?"

"He's…dead…" Walt collapsed face-first to the dirt, unmoving.

---------------------

_Roger slowly opened his eyes and looked around him. He was lying against the base of that tree he had seen when he had been fighting Olson…_

"_Yeah, if you could call that fighting." A familiar voice came from the other side of the tree. "Idiot! If you came all this way just to get defeated in a fight, then you just should have stayed home!"_

_Roger leapt to his feet and came face to face with Caitlyn. "You…you're alright?"_

"_What does it matter whether I am alright or not?" She turned away and spoke with a voice that was tinged with sadness. "I'm never leaving this place. You can't beat him…"_

"_I'll crush him, just you watch!" Roger turned to go running towards the open doorway, but gasped as suddenly he could no longer breathe. The ground came rushing up to meet him as he collapsed, trying with all of his might to draw in air._

"_It's too late for that Roger." The girl kneeled down next to the boy, watching his very life seem to drain out of him as he grew pale and cold. "You've lost…I'm sorry to have brought you here just to die. He choked you until your heart stopped…you're dead."_

_Suddenly the life returned to his face, and he leapt to his feet. "Shut up!" His fist came rocketing in and slammed into his chest with enough force that he nearly cracked his own ribs. "Start! Hurry up and get off your lazy butt!" He continued to yell at his unmoving heart while pounding away at his chest. "It's time to wake up!"_

"_Stop it Roger!" Caitlyn tried to restrain his hands, but was pushed away. "Why are you fighting so hard to save me?"_

"_Who said anything about fighting to save you?" Roger turned and glared at her while he continued to pummel his own heart inwards. "I'll save you after I beat him, and beating him is my objective now! That guy is stronger than anyone I've ever even imagined…do you think I could lose to him so quickly?"_

_Caitlyn just stood there, eyes wide in disbelief. "But what about…"_

"_Don't worry…" Roger's expression grew calm as he felt his heart start to beat irregularly. "After all this is done, I'll be sure to take you to the mall for some more clothes shopping. I'll even pay for some of it." Smiling, he gave her a little thumbs-up right before his vision faded._

-----------------

Roger's eyes slowly opened to the sight of a little green songbird sitting on his knee and chirping at him. "Caitlyn…" His eyes wavered and he fought against a sudden wave of dizziness. But, just as quickly as it came, it vanished underneath a sudden rush of energy. ("What?")

Slowly, the boy stood up and looked at his body. There were too many injuries to count, and yet he felt alright. ("What's the matter with me? Why do I feel okay?")

An image of the giant Olson flashed in his mind, and he growled in anger at his own weakness. ("Despite the fact that I'm standing, there's no possible way for me to beat him. The jerk said it himself…that form wasn't even his full strength. What can someone like me do against someone like him?")

"_It's amazing…you are actually getting a little more resilient to my attacks. Considering the ridiculously short amount of time you've actually been exposed to them, I have to admit that your endurance levels are intriguing."_

Roger's eyes went huge, as if a sudden celestial secret had been shown to him. ("That's it! I know how I can beat him…") Clenching his fist, he sneered darkly and held up his wrist transformation device. "Caitlyn, stay here and wait until either me, Mew Terra, or Bruce come back for you. Walt's here too, just so you know."

Then he depressed the activation button. "Mew Mew Sonic, METAMOPHORSIS!" He braced himself as a giant orb of sonic energy came to life around him, tearing away his normal clothing and replacing it with the black leather that Mew Sonic wore. ("I can win! I have the ultimate method now to beat this guy!") As his hair and ears changed color, he bared his fangs angrily. ("I'll pay that guy back for underestimating me not once, but twice! By the time I am done with him, he'll beg me for a quick death!")

The transformation was complete, leaving Mew Sonic standing in the place of the human boy he shared a body with. ("How strange…it seems like the more I transform, the more it feels like an actual change of identity. Heh, maybe Mew Sonic is more than just a name…") From somewhere deep within his body, something bestial smiled at that idea. ("Yeah…it's time for this wolf to tear Olson apart.")

--------------------

Olson, at his normal size, stood right outside the doorway to the entrance of his home, frowning deeply at the looks of anger he was getting from Mew Terra and Mew Pyro, who stood just a few feet away from him. "So the two of you felt it then? It just goes to show that you're all too weak to fight alone…because you felt him die."

"Shut up!" Mew Pyro stepped forward, little flames dancing around his body. "Mew Sonic is alive…if he was dead then I would die with him. He is, after all, my ultimate rival. No one else will ever replace him."

"Then go and kill yourself…that disappointment wasn't worth the clothing I destroyed to fight him." Olson's eyes reflected a deep displeasure at how easily he had crushed the boy's spirit and body. "I don't even want to deal with either of you anymore."

"That's funny, considering you gave birth to both of these two." Walt stepped past Mew Terra and crossed his arms across his chest, tone icy cold. "I know it was you who gave Bruce the power to become Mew Pyro, and I'm guessing the same can be said for Mew Terra. Why would you create something that you would have had to have known would fight against you?"

Olson closed his eyes and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "It's because I believe the world should be controlled by those who have the potential to be superhuman. That is all. The world is filled with weak men who flex their minds without using their muscle to back it up, and I cannot stand people like them because they make me sick!"

"That's it?" Walt shook his head slowly. "If that was it then I'd be disappointed in you. But so far everything you have done has been part of something bigger…what are you building up to?"

"Building up to?" Olson took off his glasses and threw them to the side, into the grass that rested in front of his mansion. "I'm not building up to anything, you ridiculous little boy."

"Lying doesn't suit you. You're too smart to just create enemies like these two." Walt closed his eyes. "Once Roger has beaten you, then I'll have to ask you again what this was all about."

"Then you will never find out because…" Olson suddenly went silent…and turned around slowly to face the approaching form in the shadows of lightless lobby of his home. "I suppose I should have known he'd be back. Welcome back to the land of the living, dog."

Mew Sonic tackled Olson as hard as he could, both of them flying thirty feet past the other three and into the grass in a heap. "Walt, go! I left behind a trail of bark to where she is!"

Walt nodded and glanced over at Mew Pyro, who looked like he was about to leap in to help. "No…it's his fight. Trust me, he would beat the crap out of you if you got in his way."

Mew Terra nodded and ran into the mansion, with Walt and Mew Pyro following seconds after.

Olson kicked out, but Mew Sonic was already ten feet away and ten feet closer to the mansion's entrance than he was. "So you intend to not allow me to get to them until I have beaten you?"

"Exactly…but not quite at the same time." Mew Sonic smiled and licked his lips. "I want to taste your full power, but I know that first I will have to earn it. Therefore…let's get to round two without wasting any time!"

"Very well…if you're in such a rush to die again!" Screaming, Olson exploded in size again as he transformed once more in the giant from before. "Now…show me what you can do!"

"You first…" Mew Sonic smiled and placed his hands at his sides, standing up straight. "Come on…hit me."

"Whatever you wish, fool!" Suddenly Olson was in front of Mew Sonic, fist cocked back to strike. "It ends right here!" Then the fist slammed right into the boy's chest and sent him flying backwards right into the mansion's wall. "I'm assuming that didn't hurt at all? Otherwise, you would have dodged."

"Nope…" Mew Sonic was face-first on the ground now, and his words were garbled because he was coughing up more blood. "That one hurt even more than the last one."

Olson narrowed his eyes as he noticed the indent in Mew Sonic's stomach. "Why would you have taken it so willingly? Are you that eager to die?"

"Eager to die?" The boy stood up…and smiled wildly. "It's just too fun!" Suddenly he disappeared, not even leaving behind any sign he had moved. He just flat out vanished into thin air.

Olson's eyes shot wide and he kneeled, getting ready to defend himself from an attack at any angle. ("Where did such an increase in speed come from?") Then a fist crashed into the top of his head and nearly blew a hole right through his skull. ("How…is this…")

Mew Sonic landed right in front of the now stunned giant's open stomach, right at ground level for him. "Thanks for the target!" Roaring, his two fists flashed gold. "Double Chaos Barrage, Infinite Version!"

("Infinite…") Olson's thoughts were blown away as a pair of energy driven machine guns were unloaded right into his abdomen, and they didn't have a limited supply of bullets.

Mew Sonic's eyes were locked ahead on the rapidly dissolving mass of muscle before him. Both of his Chaos Barrage attacks were going to blow right through this guy and into his spine. ("Once I've broken his spine, he's dead and we can move on to saving Caitlyn!")

"Bastard!" Olson suddenly stood up slightly, and then he was no longer anchored to the ground. Without his stance, his was sent flying backwards through the distant trees by the endless stream of sonic attacks.

Mew Sonic cursed to himself and his two fists stopped glowing. ("No! He figured out how to escape my attack.") He had known that Olson had a little bit of martial training, just enough to know that if you are low to the ground it is easier to roll and dodge attacks. ("I guess he figured out how to escape my trap.") His original plan had been to use that knowledge against Olson, and let the giant keep himself in place while the boy's attacks completely and utterly annihilated him.

All of the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as Olson appeared right behind him, fist crashing into his back like a wrecking ball. Letting out a surprised squeak of pain, he collapsed to the dirt unmoving.

"One lucky shot and you still couldn't do it!" Though his stomach looked like it had collapsed in on itself, Olson otherwise looked absolutely fine. "Just die, you waste of space!" The fist came shooting down, and stopped as Mew Sonic's foot shot up and hit it, blocking the attack completely. "What?"

"Lucky?" Mew Sonic hopped to his feet, looking damaged but sounding just fine. "There's just no pleasing some people." He seemed to blur in place, and then he was in the air, already having connected an uppercut to Olson's chin that had floored the monster.

("How is this possible? He's gotten at least three times stronger than he was just fifteen minutes ago!") Olson rolled to his stomach and started to stand up, until a powerful right hook struck his chin and almost tore his jaw out of place.

"You aren't getting off that easily!" Mew Sonic yelled out and then went insane, his entire body a blur as he used Olson's head as his punching bag.

("There must be some kind of logical explanation for such an increase in power…") Olson could barely think though, because these punches hurt far too much for him to just shrug them off.

And Mew Sonic was too focused on destroying this guy to care about anything else.

--------------------------

"You aren't going another step!" Magnolia snapped up her whip, while Ivy pulled back her bowstring. "I won't let you."

Mew Terra sighed and patted Mew Pyro on the shoulder. "I'll take care of these two, go find the idiot's girlfriend and rescue her."

Mew Pyro nodded and ran as fast as he could past both Magnolia and Ivy, who were both too busy dodging compressed air bullets to do anything about it.

And while all of this happened, Walt was nowhere to be seen.

---------------------------

Mew Sonic screamed again and literally punted the giant that was twice his size into the air like a football. "Chaos Barrage!" His right fist started to glow and Olson's body was forced higher into the air as it was pounded by blast after sonic blast.

Olson's badly damaged body wasn't going to last much longer at this rate. Soon, he was going to be destroyed if this kept up.

Mew Sonic screamed louder and appeared in the air above the now free-falling body, kicking it straight into the ground like a missile. "Now grow roots, you big tree! Chaos Barrage!" As he fell his glowing fist indicated that he was opening fire on the still unable to fight back Olson with his best weapon-less attack. ("I can win, I just can't stop until I've beaten him!")

Olson's now dead pupil-less eyes closed and he roared, a sudden bubble of force exploding from the crater his crash had created, which stopped the Chaos Barrage from reaching him. "Enough games!" His muscles exploded even larger as he loomed up to fifteen feet in size, his tattered pants tearing down to almost nothing. "I've had enough of this!" His now watermelon-sized fist shot up and caught Mew Sonic right in the stomach, a loud cracking noise his reward.

Mew Sonic went flying off into the trees, crashing through ten of them before he finally hit the dirt and then slid about ten feet before he came to a stop.

Olson stood up slowly, brushing his now repaired body off. "It gets exceptionally annoying when the bugs think they can just annoy me over and over again. This is about three fourths of my actual strength, unlike the half you fought before. So don't get ahead of yourself, child."

His answer was another roar and an explosion of energy from the dust cloud that Mew Sonic's landing had created.

("Amazing…his power just shot up again. At this rate, he might actually be able to match this form of me. That is something that I haven't ever seen before…it would be quite a sight if he actually forced me to use my full power to fight him.") Olson cracked his knuckles and watched as Mew Sonic came charging out of dust cloud screaming a battle cry. "Come then, come and face me with everything you can muster in that drained body of yours!"

_To be continued…_

_And so the battle between Mew Sonic and Heinrich Olson rages on. While Mew Pyro and Mew Terra attempt to retrieve Caitlyn, where has Walt gotten off to? And what was it that Roger discovered which he thinks gives him a chance at winning against an opponent that less than half an hour ago managed to destroy him with no effort?_

To Nyaa Neko: Keep an eye on your Neomail.


	17. And meanwhile

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five elements; The American Mew Mews

Chapter 17: And meanwhile…

Magnolia gasped in pain as a boot connected with the side of her head, flooring her instantly. "How can you animals be so strong compared to us? You're just genetic accidents, and we were created with a purpose! We should be the strongest!"

Mew Terra touched down in the entryway of the enormous mansion, her leather coat billowing around her legs as she recovered from performing such a dangerous kick. ("I have to be careful…these two are not like those weak plants. They are much stronger and better made.")

"I've got her, sister!" Ivy pulled back the string on her bow and launched a single arrow which exploded into a forward spray of thorns.

"No, you don't." Mew Terra snapped up both of her revolvers. "Terra Fox Storm!" Then a wave of bullets blew each and every single thorn out of the air. "Try again, if you dare."

Ivy pulled back her bowstring, and then froze as she felt the cold metal of a barrel press against the back of her neck. "Eeep…"

Mew Terra calmly aimed her other revolver at Magnolia, who was still recovering from the kick she had landed. "Don't move or I pull the trigger and your sister is finished."

Magnolia grimaced and held perfectly still, knowing that this was just a stalemate meant to buy Mew Pyro time. ("Boss, I can't risk Ivy's life on my skill. I just have to hope that Lotus, Petunia, and Jasmine can deal with the other one.")

----------------

Mew Pyro yelped and ducked his head just in time to avoid getting his ears slashed off by the wild swing of Lotus' sword. "You again? Didn't you learn anything from last time?"

"Actually I did!" Lotus sneered and continued to attack madly, trying will all of her effort to impale the boy with her weapon. ("I have to attack him quickly, and I also have to make sure he doesn't have time to think about anything that would cause his power to go up!")

Mew Pyro rolled backwards…and then quickly snatched his tail out of the path of the swinging sword. "Watch it! You don't see me trying to cut off your body parts!" He leapt to his feet and leapt backwards at the same time to avoid the sharp point of the sword that was inches from his face.

"That's because you don't have a sword, now do you?" Lotus stabbed again, and gasped as the end of her sword exploded into flames.

"Sorry…" Mew Pyro leapt into the air over the girl's head, landed a few feet behind her, and kept running. "I have someone I have to get back!"

"Come back here!" Lotus dropped her now melting weapon to the ground and chased after the boy angrily. "Come back here, I said!"

Mew Pyro growled in anger as a dagger shot past his head. Sliding to a stop, he found himself facing a red-haired girl wearing the same green plant dress as the other plant sisters had worn. "And which one are you?"

"Petunia is my name." Holding up her hands, the sister revealed rows of knives made of plant matter. "Now then, let's see how well you deal with two on one."

("There's no time for this!") Mew Pyro cracked his knuckles. "Alright, let's try and end this quickly please!"

------------------

Walt slowly walked into the cavernous arena, his eyes locked on the giant tree in its own private alcove. ("Amazing…it's just so beautiful.") He stuck his hands into his pockets and froze up. "You must be one of the plant sisters. According to what I saw in the lab, you are Jasmine?"

"That I am." A blond-haired woman stepped into sight, standing at the other end of the arena room. In her hands rested a huge-headed scythe made of plant matter. "You aren't one of the Mews though, which makes me wonder who you are exactly. I am ordered to kill any and all intruders that come in here, so therefore you must understand that now I will murder you, human."

"By all means, come and do so." Walt smiled calmly and dropped something at his feet. "If you can catch me, that is!" The smoke bomb he had dropped exploded, spraying his side of the arena with gray smoke that cut off sight.

("He's using the smoke bomb to conceal himself?") Jasmine walked over to the tree and stood underneath it, cradling her scythe in her arms. "You can't actually expect to avoid me, can you? As long as I stand underneath this tree, you won't be able to make it to her. Besides, why is such a little bird important to you?"

"Little bird?" Walt stepped out of the smoke cloud, his hands in his pockets again and his expression ice-cold. "What makes you think I'm after some bird? Actually…" His hand slowly came out of his pocket, holding something in it. "…I'm after a certain girl who is being held captive here."

"Regardless, you're about to die so it doesn't matter!" Jasmine ran right at Walt, but as she got three feet from him her eyes widened and she stumbled back in confusion. "What…was that?"

"What was what?" Walt slowly approached her, and then walked around her. "Oh, you mean why can't you get near me? It's because of a special chemical I sprayed on myself while I dropped by your boss' lab. It's a powerful chemical that can instantly kill off plant matter just through air contact. More or less, if you get too close you might just dissolve into slime." He removed a little injection gun from his pocket. "You know, I found it surprising that I could understand such complicated notes about genetic structure without having any previous knowledge on the subject."

"Excuse me?" Jasmine slowly turned, sweat building on her face. She couldn't even risk getting near the boy, or else she'd die. "What are you talking about? It has only been ten minutes since your arrival…"

"Right. To think that in seven minutes I figured out what your boss had gotten wrong when he had tried to transform Caitlyn's DNA into something that could be used with a genetic mixture." As he reached the base of the tree, he held out a hand and smiled as a little bright green-colored songbird landed on his finger. "You know, I'm surprised my brother didn't kill you all yet." Then he placed the injection gun against the little bird's back and pulled the trigger. After he heard the hiss of release, he placed the gun back in his pocket and slowly walked towards the door with the little bird still perched on his finger. "Now then, I have things to do. Firstly, I need to make sure that my brother will be alright. Then, we're going to destroy this lab and everything in it, excluding those genetic mixtures."

Jasmine could only step aside and watch as he left, unable to do anything without risking the loss of her life by touching him.

----------------------

Mew Sonic roared and tackled the fifteen foot giant in front of him as hard as he could, only to get back-handed into the dirt.

"You're pushing yourself far too hard, little boy." Olson's hand came crashing down and started to grind Mew Sonic into the dirt. "I'll just break you apart, and then it will be over."

"Shut up already!" Mew Sonic screamed as loud as he could, and an explosion of dark gold energy blew Olson's hand off at the wrist. Leaping up into the air, he exploded into action and began to pummel the giant's ribs with extreme prejudice.

"Annoying to a fault!" Olson's un-damage arm snapped up and knocked Mew Sonic away again. "It will take more than that to allow you to defeat this form of me." His stump of a left arm shuddered and a new hand exploded from the top of it. "I don't die easily."

"Neither do I!" Mew Sonic launched an uppercut that carried him right into Olson's chin, which was a very high distance compare to a normal opponent. As such, the attack lost some of its power, and it didn't do much more than make the giant tilt his chin up a little bit. ("Damn it, this guy is a monstrosity!")

"Fool!" Olson's hand shot out and grabbed the boy's extended right arm, squeezing the whole forearm with incredible pressure.

Mew Sonic threw his head back and screamed in pain, still dangling in the air and now unable to do anything but suffer.

"You think that, because you can beat half of my full strength, that you are a match for me?" Olson's other hand shot in and struck Mew Sonic roughly, nearly yanking the boy's arm out of its socket. "You're nothing but a little snot-nosed punk who thinks that you understand how to fight me. This isn't some grander version of a street fight, boy!" His fist slammed in again, and came back with blood-stained knuckles. "It seems like the force of my punches are actually tearing your skin apart. I'm sure that must hurt quite a lot…."

Mew Sonic went limp, his entire body appearing dead because of all the wounds he had suffered.

"Is it over already?" Olson shook the boy around by his trapped right arm, watching how it moved like a rag doll in his grasp. "Come now…you have to be stronger than that…"

Mew Sonic twitched a couple of times, the blood now dripping freely from his wounds. ("I…I lost too much blood. I need time to rest…but that wouldn't help my plan at all…")

--------------------

Mew Pyro sighed at the two kneeling and panting plant sisters. "So, will you let me go already? It's not right for me to fight girls…"

"Don't underestimate us!" Lotus leapt to her feet and formed another sword out of thin air. "I'll filet you, cat!"

"Cat?" Mew Pyro smiled and closed his eyes. "I suppose so…and that gives me an idea for a way around both of you." His feet spread apart, and his hands changed into a new fighting stance. "Now then…come."

"Die!" Lotus came charging in, while Petunia formed more knives and waited for her opportunity to throw them and tear the boy apart.

Mew Pyro suddenly slammed his fist into the carpet-covered floor and roared. "Inferno Punch!" The ground underneath him exploded and launched him high into the air. While he was hanging up in the air, he felt the approach of the knives and knew that his timing had to be perfectly correct or else he would be skewered.

Petunia gasped in amazement as Mew Pyro twisted in mid-air, avoiding each and every single knife. "That can't be possible…no one is that agile when they're falling in the air!"

"Apparently I am!" Mew Pyro vaulted right off of the girl's head and landed much farther down the corridor. "On that note, thanks for reminding me of something." His silver-furred tail flicked back and forth gently a couple of times. "I never had great grace, but thanks to your boss and his little gift I have cat genetics in me, meaning that I have their acute sense of balance." Turning to face them both, he smiled and winked. "Gotta go!" Then he turned and ran so fast they could have sworn that he left behind a dust trail.

-----------------------------

Mew Terra suddenly slammed the butt of her revolver into Ivy's neck, knocking the girl unconscious in one strike. At the same time, she disappeared right before Magnolia's whip struck the space she had been standing in.

"Ivy!" Magnolia ran to her sister's side, eyes wide in fear. "How dare you, insolent fox!"

"Shut up." Mew Terra appeared right in front of the pink-haired woman. "If you hate me for it, then let's finish this."

"Die!" Magnolia's whip launched up, but right before it could strike Mew Terra knocked it away with the barrel of one of her revolvers. ("What? How could she possibly do that?")

"You don't fully understand what you are fighting, do you?" Mew Terra twirled both revolvers on her index fingers while she spoke. "I'm different than those other two in that I'm not some brute force of strength. There's nothing impressive in that."

Magnolia's whip suddenly snaked forward and tied both barrels of the revolvers together. The owner of said whip let go of it and charged in, punching Mew Terra in the face as hard as she could. "Thanks for letting me know you can't fight!" Screaming in anger at the thought of someone daring to hurt her cute little sister, she pounded away at Mew Terra in a way that could only be done by someone who was either enraged or who was Roger. "I'll beat you up so badly you won't be able to use any of your fancy tricks!"

Mew Terra was unresponsive as she was pounded away at. Then she was sent stumbling back as an uppercut struck her chin and knocked her hat from her head, revealing her full head of brown hair and her fox ears.

Seeing her opportunity to end this, Magnolia immediately was in front of Mew Terra again. "I've got you now!"

Mew Terra was suddenly moving, and in a matter of two seconds she had Magnolia trapped in a full nelson so firm that the plant sister couldn't even move a single inch.

Magnolia struggled and grunted, trying to get free. "What kind of cheap move is this?"

"Cheap move?" Mew Terra spoke calmly, apparently not affected by the scratched and scrapes on her face and body. "I didn't want to have to do this, considering I dislike using these fighting methods….but in your case I'll make an exception!"

Suddenly Magnolia was moving, but she was still grappled to Mew Terra. The fox-eared girl moved with strength that she didn't appear to have, forcing Magnolia into a set-up for one of her favorite wrestling moves. "German Suplex!" The entire room shook as Magnolia's head slammed into the carpet.

Magnolia gasped out in pain, and her eyes clouded over as the force of the blow to her skull knocked her unconscious instantly.

Mew Terra stood up and retrieved her weapons, holstering both of them just in time to see Mew Pyro and Walt come running back towards the entrance of the mansion. "So you finished it up? Where's the girl?" She noticed what Walt had perched on his finger. "And what's with the bird?"

"Never mind." Walt gritted his teeth. "These weaklings have wasted too much of our time, we have to go make sure Roger is alright!"

Mew Pyro nodded and Mew Terra sighed.

-----------------------------

"Is it done already?" Olson shook the unmoving Mew Sonic by his arm a few more times, watching the rag doll movements with what was now annoyance in his eyes. "Is this it? If so, then let me bury you straight in hell!" His other hand dropped around Mew Sonic's head and began to squeeze roughly. "This time you won't revive, unless of course you can somehow live without a head."

"Terra Fox Storm!" An explosion of bullets slammed into the giant's back and forced him to stop his slow torture of Mew Sonic for the time being.

"So, you've come back. I take that to mean that my pitiful creations were all defeated?" Olson slowly stomped around just in time to take an Inferno Punch right between the eyes.

Mew Pyro roared and continued to pound away at the monster's face, though if he had been paying attention he would have noticed his strikes weren't having any effect at all on Olson.

Finally, the giant grew tired of letting himself be hit, and he punched Mew Pyro in the side of his head with his free hand, the blow like a car collision in that while it kept going, Mew Pyro was sent spiraling skywards like a doll. "Annoying little insects." He looked down at Mew Terra and then at Walt. "You must be the boy's brother. I learned a lot about you during my research."

"Then I'm at a disadvantage compared to you." Walt kept Mew Terra's jacket over his hands, trying to keep the little bird quiet. ("Don't give yourself away or else this psychopath might decide to use you as a weapon against my brother.")

"All of you are, but honestly the one with the smallest disadvantage would have to be you. With your IQ of about 200, you're an incredible genius. It makes me wonder why you waste your potential with likes of these fools." Olson slapped Mew Pyro away again like a normal human would shoo away a fly.

"It's got nothing to do with intelligence." Walt placed the coat on the ground. "Now get up, Roger! Kick this guy's sorry…"

"He can't hear you." Olson nudged the boy's head with a finger, and it slumped in the direction of the push. "He's out cold."

"Roger!" Walt clenched his teeth. "Wake up! Caitlyn needs you!" When no response came, he hid his fear masterfully. ("If he won't respond to something like that…")

Mew Pyro slowly stood up, his entire body in pain from the strong blows he had taken. ("That monster is so powerful…how did Grant not get destroyed by it in battle?")

"It's over now." Olson's hand wrapped around Mew Sonic's head again and squeezed roughly. "I'll squeeze until he pops like an overripe fruit."

"Roger…" Walt knew that screaming wouldn't help, and if he lost his cool here then they were screwed.

"He's not as strong as I am, fight me!" Mew Terra snapped up her revolver, aiming right at the monster's right eye. "I promise I'll beat you."

"You don't know what you are challenging, stupid girl. This boy has an incredible amount of power within him, and he is too stupid to bring it out." Olson tightened his grip. "Now he dies…"

"No!" Mew Pyro jump-kicked the back of Olson's head, but nothing happened. ("This mustn't happen! Grant is my rival, and I'll be the one to finish him off!")

An explosion of green light flooded the area around them, blinding everyone.

("What's this?") Olson gritted his teeth as a blast of energy slammed into his wrist and blew his hand off. Dropping Mew Sonic to the ground, he turned to face the source of the green light. "Who are you, and where did you come from?"

As the light cleared, a surprised gasp came from both Mew Terra and Mew Pyro, while Walt just smiled to himself. Caitlyn, wearing a light green set of clothing that resembled a singer's dress if it was meant for battle, stood with Mew Terra's coat over one shoulder. In her other hand rested a shimmering green microphone. "I won't let you hurt Roger anymore! I, Mew Aero, will not forgive you for what you have done to him already!"

"You…" Olson's stump shuddered and a new hand formed from it. "How could you have possibly…"

Walt chuckled. "After looking over your notes I quickly figured out what you had done wrong when you were working on her genetics. After about a minute of lab work, I figured out how to make a mixture to correct your mistake. After that, it was just a matter of time."

("He what?") Olson couldn't believe it. ("His intelligence is inhuman…how could someone with no background in genetics make something like that in just a minute?") "It doesn't matter, I'll crush the little child underneath my feet like the rest of you."

Mew Aero, Mew Pyro, and Mew Terra all smiled at once. "We'll see…"

From his resting place on the ground, the unconscious Mew Sonic smiled ever so slightly as well.

_To be continued…_

_And so the fourth member of the Mews has emerged. With Mew Aero's help, will Mew Terra and Mew Pyro be able to finish the job that Mew Sonic couldn't, or will his help be needed once again before this night is done?_


	18. Teamwork

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew, I'm just using the world.

Five Elements: The American Mews

Chapter 18: Teamwork; Earth, fire and air against Olson

As the afternoon drew to its close, the huge clouds around the mountainside gathered together into larger and larger collections. Thunder shook the sky, an omen that soon it would rain.

Mew Aero and Mew Terra stood just a few feet from the towering genetic monster that was once Heinrich Olsen. Mew Pyro stood off to the side of the monster, his body bent in a position that made it easy for him to attack if need be.

One of Olson's titanic fists flexed and he sighed, the sound deep and bass. "Do any of you actually believe, somewhere in your hearts, that you can defeat me?"

Mew Terra stepped forward, holding up both of her revolvers. "We'll defeat you…we all have things to fight for, while you have nothing at all."

Olson's eyes closed. "You're wrong about that. I am fighting for something…for something that none of you can possibly understand. And yet, though you cannot understand it, it is something that will influence your lives for years to come."

"Stop talking in riddles." Mew Pyro stepped forward as well. "You're just fighting for yourself and that is all, don't try to confuse us."

"I'm not trying to confuse anyone." Olson's whole body flexed at once, the compound lumps of muscle swelling in size for a moment and then shrinking back down to their 'normal' size. "I'm simply trying to make you little children understand that the world isn't so easy to understand…and to live in."

"Okay, that's too philosophical for me!" Mew Pyro yelled out and charged right at the giant, both of his fists exploding into flames. "Inferno Punch!" Leaping up into the air, he came flying down and slammed both of the flaming appendages right into Olson's face.

The giant snapped one arm up and drove an elbow the size of a cannon-ball into the boy's chest, instantly stealing his breath and launching him past both Mew Aero and Mew Terra, who were both moving towards him.

Mew Aero gasped and turned her head to watch her friend's flight path. "Bruce! Are you alright?"

A loud thud caught her attention, and she turned around just in time to see Olson's fist come rocketing in towards her. She screamed and threw up her arms to protect herself right before the fist crashed down into the spot she had beforehand.

Mew Terra sighed and dropped the other girl from off her shoulder. "If you're just going to stand there and do nothing, then just stay over here." Then she turned and ran towards Olson, guns drawn.

Mew Aero huffed and stomped her foot angrily. "I'm not useless!" Suddenly she disappeared and was right in front of Olson's face. "Pardon me for not being used to fighting huge ugly monsters!" Then her heel came crashing in right between the monster's eyes, sending him stumbling back.

Mew Terra sweat-dropped, unsure whether she wanted to risk making the girl any angrier. After a few seconds of mental debate she snapped up her revolvers and opened fire, the compressed bullets of air stabbing into Olson's flesh and leaving behind numerous small holes all over his chest.

Olson slowly stood up and watched as Mew Aero came flying in again, screaming in anger. ("She has a good kick…however…") He detected that Mew Pyro was coming in behind him, and he released his energy in the form of a bubble of force. A slight smirk crossed his lips as he felt both Mews crash right into the invisible bubble. Then he expanded it rapidly, the strength of the barrier just as hard as a body slam to both of them. "You can't win like you are now!"

"Really?" Mew Terra stood on his shoulder, both of her revolvers aimed right at his head. "I beg to differ." Then she unloaded into his skull. His head snapped to the side and for a few moments it looked like he was going to fall. Then his eyes opened again and head-butted her in the chest, watching as she disappeared into the cloud cover far above them.

Walt gasped and started to run towards the location where he had seen his friend go. "Alicia!"

Mew Aero landed in front of Olson and snapped up her microphone. "Aero Amplifier! Aero Songbird's Chorus!" She yelled into the device, and a powerful wave of air slammed into Olson's chest, sending him sliding back about ten feet.

Brushing off his chest, Olson cracked his knuckles as the wounds he had been dealt by Mew Terra's bullets faded. "Interesting, but otherwise useless. I have yet to feel true pain by any of your attacks."

"Let me enlighten you then!" Mew Pyro came rocketing in, his hands covered by a pair of fire-red armored gauntlets. "Pyro Gauntlets! Pyro Tiger's Roar!" Then an explosive fireball shot from his fists that hit the giant in the chest.

Olson's chest swelled up momentarily to absorb all of the damage, and then it compressed back to normal size. "Fool!" He punched Mew Pyro right in the stomach and then back-handed Mew Aero with his other hand. "I can't be defeated by you!"

"Terra Fox's Storm!" A spray of bullets slammed into his right knee and tore it to shreds. Mew Terra twirled her revolvers on her index fingers, trying to ignore the fact that she looked like someone had run her over with a car. "We're not close to done yet!"

"Is that so?" Olson roared in anger and his legs actually forcefully straightened itself out. "Then show me what you can really do!" His leg's muscles knitted themselves back together quickly, and he punched the ground at his feet, the earth exploding and cracking from the force. "Let's go!"

Mew Terra piroted on one leg her coat billowing around her body. "Ribbon…" Then she disappeared, twelve different versions of herself appearing all around Olson. "…Terra Waltz!" All twelve of them fired a single shot that hurtled into the giant. ("When they all connect at his center, they'll blow him to bits!")

Olson roared and expanded in some areas while contacting in others. Different parts of his body exploded, and then all at once they reformed. "Your attack's method is very impressive. By using all twelve of your bullets at once, you create a powerful explosion within the enemy's body that instantly destroys them. However…I can change the shape and size of this body's muscles as I wish, so no matter where you fire I can prevent those bullets from connecting at my center!"

Mew Terra's eyes were wide in fear at this declaration. ("This thing isn't possible…nothing plant or animal can do such a thing so easily!")

Olson roared and pounded his chest with his fists. "Now then, I feel like breaking some bones!" He appeared right in front of Mew Terra and both of his fists doubled in size. They dropped down and clamped around her legs and around her torso, both squeezing with the force of a trash compactor. "You're supposedly the strongest out of all of them, right? Well then, let's see how tough you really are!"

Mew Terra tried to scream, but all that came out was a weak gasp as she felt her body actually being compressed inwards.

"Stop it!" Walt threw a rock the size of his fist that bounced off of Olson's back like it was nothing at all. "You're killing her!"

"That would be the point." Olson continued to squeeze, watching her eyes slowly darken as the life left them. "She's too weak to be my real…"

"That enough, you animal!" Mew Pyro appeared right in front of Olson, his entire body wrapped in flames. "If you want to fight someone near your strength level, try me on for size! And I'll even give you a present if you take the offer…" He leapt back and then charged in, the fire around him growing bigger and bigger. "Ribbon…Pyro Dragon!" The fire formed into a roaring dragon that slammed right into Olson's chest and sent the titan sliding backwards rapidly.

Walt gasped at the incredible power that attack must have had to make Olson move so much…

Olson slammed his hand into the flaming dragon and pulled out Mew Pyro, cracking his other huge fist down onto the boy's neck with a snap. Then he hurled the boy right into the barely standing Mew Terra, and both of them went down in a heap. "That was just annoying." Looking down at the burns along his chest, he looked at both of the fallen Mews and the charged. "I'll make you both pay for that!"

Mew Aero jumped in front of her two fallen friends. "Stop! They can't fight anymore!"

"Do you think I care?" Olson leapt at her, shoulder out to literally trample all three of them under him enormous body.

Mew Aero threw up her hands and yelled as loud as she could, forming a barrier of wind between her and the giant. He slammed into it and stopped for a moment, right before the barrier was blown apart and he bounced her off of his massive shoulder easily. She flew into her friends, all of them collapsing in heap.

Olson was still flying at them, ready to crush all three of them in one blow.

"No! Move you guys!" Walt yelled at the top of his lungs at them, but none of them moved.

"It's the end for all of you!" Olson roared out and dropped down onto them with a body slam that took all sight of them.

Walt closed his eyes and waited for the sickening crunch of them getting broken underneath the undying monster…but when it didn't come he slowly opened his eyes to see what had happened. And what he saw made him gasp in complete amazement.

Olson shuddered, his entire body protesting the fact that he had put himself in the situation he was in. "You…how did you…"

Mew Sonic stood with his head down, his hair covering his eyes in shadow. His right arm was straight up into the air and holding Olson up by the stomach with his open palm. "Our fight didn't end, did it? So why are you beating up on my friends?" Blood dripped down a huge cut on his right cheek, and another cut on his forehead left a red streak running down across one eye.

"You couldn't be doing this…the damage to your body…" Olson shot his hands in to try and punch the boy so he could get free…

Mew Sonic responded by yelling out and letting go with his right hand and punching with his left hand. The blow landed and a huge booming noise filled the air around them as Olson almost folded in half from the force of the blow. And then the titan was dozens of feet in the air, flying away from the one who had struck him.

Mew Aero's eyes slowly opened…and she gasped in a mix of relief and fear. "Roger! You can't fight with those injuries!" Leaping to her feet, she shook him by one shoulder. "It's okay, I got away from him. You don't have to fight him anymore!"

"What did I tell you before?" He snapped his head around and screamed right in her face. "This doesn't have anything to do with you anymore! Now it has to do with me…and him." He pointed over to the small crater where Olson had finally hit the earth. Then he looked away from her defiantly.

Mew Pyro coughed a couple of times and stood up shakily. "Grant, don't turn stupid because of your ego. It will take all of us together to beat this guy."

Mew Terra tried to stand up, but she collapsed again. Walt ran over to her side and helped her stand up by letting her use his shoulder as a brace.

Mew Sonic just walked away from them. "If you get involved again, I'll beat the hell out of all of you…even you Caitlyn." Then he watched as the earth exploded where Olson's crater was. "Please…just let me do this. This guy might be crazy…" His voice quieted down slightly…and his eyes closed. "…but he brought up a good point. If I can't beat him, then I don't deserve to live!" Then his body was lined by a bright dark gold aura of energy.

Olson came charging out of the dust cloud like a train, his fist cocked back to cut them all down.

Mew Sonic cracked his knuckles and charged towards the giant as well. The aura flared up even more and seemed to wrap around him protectively. "Olson, bring out your real power!"

Their fists slammed into each other midway from their original starting positions, and then Olson's entire arm crumbled under the pressure. Seconds later the giant roared in pain as Mew Sonic's fist kept going and slammed into his gut, almost tearing him in half because of the sheer power of it. ("How did this boy increase in strength yet again? His injuries say that he should be unconscious!") Then the force of the hit caught up with Olson and he sliding backwards on his back.

Mew Sonic appeared on his chest, leaping up and down and digging his boots into the monster's ribs to grind him deeper into the earth. "I said bring out the real you!"

"Die!" Olson's fist shot up and slammed right into Mew Sonic's fist. A loud crack, almost like a gunshot, echoed across the open field. Olson's cry of pain followed it as he withdrew his now broken hand from Mew Sonic's unharmed chest.

---------------------------------

Mew Pyro stood there in silent awe. His rival was invincible…that was the only explanation.

Mew Aero watched only half-heartedly. She was currently angry at Roger for yelling at her, and for being an idiot. Also, there was the matter of looking at Mew Terra's injuries.

Walt stood off to the side of the two girls, his eyes mostly watching as his brother proceeded to completely and utterly demolish Olson. "I finally get. That's his secret and how he got so much stronger…"

Everyone looked over at him, waiting for an explanation.

"Olson once mentioned that Roger possessed amazing power that allowed him to fight for such extended periods of time without tiring…" Walt ran a hand through his somehow still perfect hair. "…that's why he was letting himself take those hits. The more injured he gets, the more of his full power he has access to."

Mew Pyro sighed. "That makes sense, considering how much Roger seems to love taking hits and returning them…it's amazing I didn't realize until just now."

--------------------------

Olson stumbled back, his body unable to repair fast enough to escape the fact that he was going to die at this rate. ("I must do something before this little annoyance destroys me completely!") His entire body flexed and tried to pop back in place…

Mew Sonic appeared right in front of the giant's stomach and nearly punched through him, his entire forearm disappearing within the mass of pulverized muscle that was Olson's abdomen. "Chaos Barrage!" He didn't flinch at all as the machine gun fire of energy literally blew right through Olson's chest, the giant's upper body landing with a wet thump on the ground away from his lower half.

Olson gasped in true pain, his entire body convulsing as it tried to somehow fix itself from the blow it had just taken…but this was a blow it could not do anything against. "No…you couldn't have done that to me…"

Mew Sonic slowly walked up Olson's upper head and kicked it in the ribs. He could see that whatever this thing was made up of, it was just plant matter instead of muscle or organs. "Such a shame, I was expecting something red when I did that."

Olson gasped and coughed up a small stream of green liquid, his head turning to look up the impossibly boy. "What…" He coughed up another spray of green fluid. "…are you?"

"I'm your executioner." Mew Sonic placed his hand right against the immobile torso's head. "Chaos Barrage!" With one loud explosion of energy, Olson's head was gone.

-------------------------

Mew Pyro just stood there, his entire body suddenly very afraid of the monster that his rival had become. And he wasn't alone…

"Roger…" Mew Aero stared at the horrible mess that was left of Olson. "No…that's not Roger…he couldn't do something so atrocious…"

"He could…" Walt's expression was ice-cold, his eyes those of a killer. "No…he's never killed before…but in this case…"

Mew Terra gasped in pain and clutched at her ribs. "He did what he had to do. That beast was going to kill us all."

------------------------

Mew Sonic closed his eyes and turned away, walking towards the others. "You died…that's a damn shame…" He stopped as a rustling noise caught his attention. Turning his head, he looked over at the lower half of Olson's body as it kicked and squirmed crazily. "That's mildly creepy…"

"You wanted my full power?"

Mew Sonic instantly went back to ice-cold emotions, and he slowly turned to look at Olson's upper half, which had regrown its head. "That's right. Can you still do it with your entire body being in two halves?"

Olson sneered as his skin went from a dull brown color to dark green. "Trust me…I'm very hard to keep down!" He roared and his skin tore apart, revealing the mass of plant matter his body was made up of. "I'm so happy that you could actually push me to my full power! In return, I'll make sure you die a quick death!"

"That's cute, coming from half a guy." Mew Sonic flexed his right arm to get the kinks out of it. Firing his Chaos Barrage so many times wasn't the best thing for his arms, but since he had no choice he didn't mind that much.

Olson howled out in rage, and his entire lower body actually was pulled back into place with his upper half. There was a momentary burst of light as he completely reformed. Standing up slowly, he now stood at an incredible 25', which made it seem like he could easily crush Mew Sonic with just one hand. "I have never taken myself this far before…so please excuse me if I wind up hitting a little hard."

"Shut up." Mew Sonic turned to face the green giant. "I'm killing you so you stay out of my business from now on."

"Then let's begin!" Olson roared and snapped his ropy arm back, the fist coming in towards the boy like a missile.

_To be continued…_

_The climax of the battle between Mew Sonic and Olson is coming…but who can say what will happen. Will Mew Sonic's ability to get stronger when he gets injured win the fight, or will Olson's ability to repair impossible damage end it?_


	19. Showdown

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five Elements: The American Mews

Chapter 19: Showdown

_Olson sneered as his skin went from a dull brown color to dark green. "Trust me…I'm very hard to keep down!" He roared and his skin tore apart, revealing the mass of plant matter his body was made up of. "I'm so happy that you could actually push me to my full power! In return, I'll make sure you die a quick death!"_

"_That's cute, coming from half a guy." Mew Sonic flexed his right arm to get the kinks out of it. Firing his Chaos Barrage so many times wasn't the best thing for his arms, but since he had no choice he didn't mind that much._

_Olson howled out in rage, and his entire lower body actually was pulled back into place with his upper half. There was a momentary burst of light as he completely reformed. Standing up slowly, he now stood at an incredible 25', which made it seem like he could easily crush Mew Sonic with just one hand. "I have never taken myself this far before…so please excuse me if I wind up hitting a little hard."_

"_Shut up." Mew Sonic turned to face the green giant. "I'm killing you so you stay out of my business from now on."_

"_Then let's begin!" Olson roared and snapped his ropy arm back, the fist coming in towards the boy like a missile._

Mew Sonic leapt up into the air, ready to dodge the punch instantly…and then he felt confused as Olson just seemed to disappear into thin air. ("What?")

Olson appeared right behind him and easily snatched him out of thin air, squeezing his body so tightly that some of his bones actually grinded together. "You've met my expectations." Then he squeezed even harder, all of Mew Sonic's body parts seeming to compress together. "And now you can die knowing that you pushed the stronger man to his limits."

"Wha…" A loud grunt came from Mew Sonic as he felt the tips of his ribs actually touch.

"I've calculated all of it…your full power is about at C+ level, and the power of your friends..." He glanced over at the group standing about thirty feet away from him. "And if all of them were to reach their ultimate power, they'd become C levels." A deep chuckle came from his thick chest. "But you must be thinking that a single C+ and a trio of C level beings could defeat me right?"

Mew Sonic was in too much pain to respond.

"Wrong." Olson's thumb lifted up and placed itself on top of Mew Sonic's head, twisting his neck and head back and forth slowly. "At my maximum level of power I am at B- class. Just in case you don't understand at all what that means, it means you cannot win. The difference in power between the actual letters is enormous. A B- could defeat five C+ levels without any problem at all."

---------------------

Mew Terra stood with her eyes wide, sweat-drops sliding down her cheeks. "No…he's been playing games this whole time. No matter how hard we could have tried…we never would have been able to defeat him."

Mew Pyro clenched his fists together and snarled angrily. "How dare he look down on us! I refuse to allow this to happen! Come on Mew Terra, Mew Aero…let's go kick his…"

"Don't get us all killed faster than need be." Walt frowned and took a drag from the cigarette hanging out of his mouth. "Trust me…I can tell you from my own eyes…none of you can win this battle. Run…run away as fast as you can and maybe you'll get away from him."

Mew Terra just stood there in silence, her eyes wide at what she saw Walt doing. ("What was it he always said…'I rarely smoke…only when I think it's good to die with a cigarette between your lips. You know, make sure you look cool as a corpse and all.") "Walt…you can't plan…"

"I want all of you to run away and get to Excelsior or Ellen…they can help you all." The teenager stepped right past the three of them. "This will be the last time I see you all in this lifetime. This is where I die."

"You can't be serious…" Mew Aero grabbed him by his right shoulder. "Stop acting like we can't do any…"

"You can't do any good. I looked at the data about Olson's full power…and then I compared it to the data about all of you." A deep sigh escaped his lips and he flicked the cigarette the grass, stomping on it to put it out. "He's right…it would take exactly six versions of Roger at his current level of power to finish this guy off. In other words…run away and get stronger…"

"This is the biggest load of crap I've ever heard in my life!" Mew Pyro spun Walt around and lifted him up by his shirt. "Why are you so quick to throw both your life and the life of your brother away?"

"Shut up." Walt's ice cold eyes met the burning ones of his brother's rival. "I…I know the truth that you won't accept. Willpower was factored into it…he understands everything all of you can do. The jerk actually figured out a formula to calculate how much stronger you would all be with willpower added…he's like a walking supercomputer…" For Walt to admit someone was smarter than he was definitely was not a normal thing. "It's pointless…"

"So we should run?" Mew Aero closed her eyes, trying not to cry. "While you and Roger die? What kind of friends would we be?"

"You'd be friends, instead of stupid fools I will have lost respect for if you stay here just to die." Walt held back his own anger, remaining that same sub-zero emotionless form. "I will not let you kill yourself if it won't even serve a single purpose!"

-------------------

From within the confines of Olson's lab, four of the plant sisters watched in awe as they got to see their boss' true power at work.

"I knew it! I knew that silly boy couldn't beat the boss!" Ivy hopped up and down, giggling in joy. "Do you think after the boss slaughters them all we can go get something to eat?"

"That sounds fine to me." Petunia glanced over at Jasmine. "How about you?"

"I wouldn't mind it. Though I'm sure poor Lotus is lamenting not getting a chance to have her revenge on that tiger-eared one." The blond-haired sister placed a hand on the dark-haired sister's shoulder and smiled. "Don't get down about it…the boss said we might not be able to handle their full strength."

Lotus nodded weakly. "I know. It's just that he was such a worthy opponent…" Then she glanced back at Magnolia, who stood near the back of the room. "What's the matter, eldest sister?"

"Nothing…nothing at all…" Magnolia spoke quietly, and wiped her eyes with a nearby handkerchief.

----------------------------

Olson squeezed just a little tighter. "It's the end, but don't worry…your friends will join you soon." When there was no burst of energy from his target, he knew it was the end. "Your theory about how the more injured you get the more your power increases was well-founded…but you didn't factor in limits. Even your power has its limits, and you pushed yourself past those limits. Also, by using your wounds to draw it out, you were burning far too much of your power just keeping your body together."

"You…" Mew Sonic's eyes slowly closed and he tried to build up his energy for one last killing attack. No matter what happened, he'd take this bastard with him to hell…

Except Olson pushed down with his thumb, feeling the boy's neck quickly giving way. "Not this time…it ends here! Farewell, Mew Sonic!"

"No." A calm voice rang out across the plains. "You'll put him down gently and very slowly walk away, Heinrich." It was young and female…

The giant froze up and his eyes widened. "It cannot be…you died…didn't you?"

"Died? That's such a strong word, little Heinrich…" The voice grew teasing, and the sound of footsteps on the grass could be heard. "Or should I call you big Heinrich…jeez, your obsession with plants was always rather disturbing…though even I'm surprised that you turned yourself into one. Amazingly stupid…"

"What was that, you stupid old hag!" The giant turned around and looked down at the human who stood right at his feet. "How did you…"

The woman couldn't have been any older than twenty or so, and the way she dressed spoke of it. She wore a bright pink shirt that exposed her rather athletic midriff, and a pair of shorts of the same color. Her raven black hair and her ice-blue eyes shimmered in the semi-night. "What, are you surprised?"

"You're…you're…" Olson's eyes twitched a little bit. "And you call me weird! You used your research on yourself to make yourself young again! What kind of…" His voice went silent and then he threw Mew Sonic as hard as he could to off into the far distance. "I'll kill you first!"

The woman tapped her forehead a couple of times, Mew Sonic's unconscious body over her shoulder. "There's no need to childishly throw your toys around."

Olson's eyes narrowed slowly. He had seen her movements when she had intercepted the boy's flight path and saved him from what would have most likely been a killing impact against the nearby mountain…but what scared him was he wasn't able to respond. She was faster than he was. ("But speed will only let her dodge…if I hit her with my full strength, then I should be able to break her measly body into dust.") Roaring out, he charged right at her and swung his fist, though he was aiming for Mew Sonic. ("She means to protect him, so I'll force her to either drop him and leave him to death, or to take the blow for him. Either way, I'll get one of them out of the way!") "Take this, you old witch!"

The woman's eyes turned blood red. "What did you call me, you little fly?" Suddenly she was moving, so fast that no one except Olson registered it had been done. There was a loud thud noise, followed by an explosion of noise as she punched his incoming fist with her own. When the explosion ended, there were little tiny particles of plant matter raining down over the field.

Olson stared at the stump where his right arm had been, both in excruciating pain and in complete and utter surprise. ("For such a small body…that kind of strength can only come from pure energy within the body…")

"Unlike you, I actually know the limit I can train my body and my genetics to…and that puts me as your superior." The woman brushed back a few locks of her hair and posed. "That's why I'm the cute teacher and you're the stupid overconfident student who left far too early."

"Silence!" Olson roared and his stump exploded outwards as he regrew his arm. "I have achieved B- level…that makes me your superior, stupid old hag!"

A large vein bulged out of the woman's head. "What did I just do when you called me an old hag before?" She seemed to flicker out of sight and then she appeared right in front of his face. Reaching out, she casually flicked his forehead with her index finger, barely flinching when his head exploded like an overripe tomato.

--------------------

All of the Mews and Walt all stood in complete and utter awe at the sight of this.

"Such power in such a woman…" Mew Pyro and Walt said at once….

Mew Aero had her right eye twitching rapidly in anger. ("How does she know Roger? And…and…") She cracked her knuckles. "She's not that good…but just in case I'll test her right after…"

"If you do that, you'll be killed…I promise you." Mew Terra sighed and crossed her arms across her chest. "No, this fight will be over very shortly. She's too powerful to be matched by anyone or anything…"

"How do you know her?" Walt glanced over at his friend…and felt a tingle run up his spine. "Wait a minute…"

-----------------------

All of the plant sisters all stared in horror at the screen. Who was this mysterious woman…and how did she possibly defeat their boss so easily?

-----------------------

The woman landed on the ground and brushed herself off. "Are you done already? I thought you'd be tougher than that, my thick-headed apprentice. This can't be the best of a B- level, can it?"

A roar exploded from the giant's torso and the body snapped up an open palm to point right at her. "Eat this, old hag! Solar Explosion!" Then night became day as fire and heat filled the whole field. It was like someone had moved the sun right into the middle of the fight.

As the light faded, Olson's laughter could be heard. He had already regrown his head. "One of my body's best defense mechanisms…it absorbs the sunlight over time and then I can release it like a bomb or laser, depending on my preference. Good-bye, old crone."

"Enough with the old crap!" A single form shot out of the smoke and began a rapid fall towards the giant's body.

"You're still alive after that? Then eat it again! Solar Explosion!" Olson snapped up his hand and a blast of pure heat shot out of his palm, racing towards the woman.

"Eat it? Try and make me!" She smiled as the edge of the beam got within a few inches of her face, and then she disappeared.

"Where'd she…" Olson gasped in pain as he felt a fist hit the side of his head and indent his skull roughly. Then a honeycomb of indents appeared in his legs and torso. ("She can't be this fast…this would be the speed only a…B….level…")

She appeared right in front of his face, her open palm aimed right at him. "You want to see who has the biggest blast? Flash Bomb!" There was an explosion of light and Olson's whole upper body disintegrated into nothingness. Landing on the ground, she turned and smiled at the Mews. "Sorry about the lightshow, I'm sure you all just want me to end this. But I'm just having way too much fun."

Olson's body twitched a couple of times and started to regrow itself.

The woman rolled her eyes and turned to face the standing titan. "You're as persistent as ever, I'll give you that. But in the end, you're still just a fool that never really grew up. Your ideals will end here, as will your life, Heinrich."

"Shut up!" Olson slammed his palms towards her, both of them exploding with energy as he unloaded a double Solar Explosion her way. When the smoke cleared, she was standing unharmed on his shoulder. "What are you? You can't be the same old woman…"

"I'm not." She punched his head and it cracked as the plant matter was twisted horribly. "In fact, I'm not even close to the same old woman you might have remembered. Now…" She put her hand against his now dangling forehead. "I'm actually fighting you with my all!" There was a flash of light as his entire body vaporized into nothingness. Without making a noise, she landed on the ground and walked over towards Mew Sonic's fallen form. "Hey brat, are you awake?" When he didn't respond, she kicked him right in the ribs and watched him grunt in pain. "If you die then I'll drag you back out of the underworld, because we still have things to do."

Walt slowly approached her, his entire body trembling. "Excuse me…ma'am…who are you?"

"My name is Erika Mishimiya." The woman patted him on the shoulder. "And you're a cute one, aren't you?"

"I think I liked Olson better," The boy dead-panned in reply.

Rolling her eyes, the woman smiled widely. "Now then…let's get down to business."

_To be continued…_

_And so the mysterious woman named Erika Mishimiya has appeared, and with seemingly impossible ease she has completely and utterly destroyed Heinrich Olson…but the most important question is what is this business she is talking about, and why was she here in the first place?_


	20. The Mysterious New Threat

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew, I'm just borrowing the world.

Five Elements; The American Mews

Chapter 20: The Mysterious New Threat

_Walt slowly approached her, his entire body trembling. "Excuse me…ma'am…who are you?"_

"_My name is Erika Mishimiya." The woman patted him on the shoulder. "And you're a cute one, aren't you?"_

"_I think I liked Olson better," The boy dead-panned in reply._

_Rolling her eyes, the woman smiled widely. "Now then…let's get down to business." _

"Business?" Walt lifted an eyebrow at her. "What business do you have with us? Didn't you take out Olson because of your own reasons?"

"My own reasons?" Erika shook her head. "I took out that sad excuse of my apprentice because he was preventing me from getting my objective…" She thumbed over at Mew Sonic. "He's my target."

Walt felt shivers run up his spine at that declaration. "What do you intend to do with my brother? Why are you after him?"

"Because that crazy brother of yours has the potential to become strong enough to deal with the new threat that is coming. It's a threat that will make Olson seem like child's play." The woman brushed back a few locks of her hair and watched the approach of the other Mews. "The rest of you won't be able to do anything against this kind of threat at your current levels, and even if you reach your maximum power you'll still not be able to do much."

Mew Pyro gave her a death glare. "I'm sick and tired of you telling me that there's no way I can possibly win…"

"There is a way you can win though, but it requires you to push your body and mind past its limits." Erika walked over to Roger and kicked him a couple in his ribs, watching as he barely responded to it. "He's the strongest out of all of you, and that puts him at a high C+ level. The rest of you can all reach a low C+ level if you push yourselves to your max, but no amount of training will increase your energy levels beyond that."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Mew Terra crossed her arms across her chest, while Mew Aero tried to kill Erika from a distance with her glare at the fact she was kicking Roger.

"Achieve the next level." Erika knelt down and threw Roger over one shoulder. "If you can push yourself to the right level, you can power up to the point you'll win against the new threat."

Walt, despite his intelligence and ability to understand the cryptic, couldn't comprehend what she was talking about. "How about you speak in this little language we call English, alright?"

Erika smiled slightly. "You're all Mew Mews…but it's time for you to figure out how to surpass these forms. Mew Aero, Mew Terra, Mew Pyro, Mew Sonic…all of you must lose these forms and achieve your next levels of power." Her eyes glittered slightly at the prospect. "Excelsior told me about the four of you, which is surprising considering that Mew Aero just came to be…but he was the smartest student I've ever had. Your current forms cannot surpass the high C level…but if you can surpass these physical limitations…then I promise you that B+ will be within reach. At that level, you won't be matched by anything that the known world has on it."

Mew Pyro's eyes also twinkled at that idea. ("Stronger than anything else…stronger than Grant!") He pounded his fists together. "And just what would it take for us to get stronger?"

Erika shrugged innocently. "I have absolutely no idea."

There was one massive face-fall that went through the whole group, excluding her.

She continued. "All I know for sure is that if you give your all it will put you closer to achieving this transformation. Though I'm still not sure what it does or how it happens." Turning, she started to talk away. "Now then, I'll be borrowing your boy wonder for the rest of the week. Don't worry, I'll return him unharmed….most likely."

"What?" Mew Pyro leapt into her way. "You're not taking him! I have to fight him in a rematch later!"

Erika narrowed her eyes and suddenly she was on the other side of the boy. He dropped to his knees and gasped for air. "You're welcome to try and stop me if you wish, but I intend to kill you if you continue to irritate me. None of you are as close as this one is." Suddenly she was face-first on the ground, a heel grinding into the back of her head.

Mew Aero put a hand on her hip while she continued to push the woman farther into the ground. "I'm not letting you take Roger." Her other arm was holding Mew Sonic's body over her shoulder. "And if you try to…"

"Flash Bomb." Erika was suddenly right in front of the girl, her palm inches from her face. Energy began to build around that hand rapidly, and it started to glow stronger and stronger…

Mew Aero stared at the ball, her eyes wide in fear. Then it released, shooting right past her head and shooting off into the distance. After that there was only white as the explosion cut off all sight.

Erika had the boy over her shoulder once more. "That would be your death is I decided I wanted you to die. If you try again, I won't change the trajectory of the shot next time."

Mew Terra had just stood there, her eyes watching Erika calmly. ("What are trying to achieve by taking him? In raw power he's stronger, but his focus is almost zero and his martial skills are truly zero. He just fights like a wild animal. Why not myself or the hot-headed cat over there?")

Erika caught a little look that Mew Terra had given her, and she smirked. "This boy has the potential to be a great hero, but unfortunately his transformation was incorrectly timed. More or less, I have to start from scratch with him." Turning, she walked away without another word. If they wanted to stop her, they were welcome to try.

But no one tried again to prevent her from leaving. "You'll see him by the end of the week, this I promise."

------------------------------

Roger's eyes snapped open and he immediately was on his feet, eyes looking around him in confusion. "Where am I?" All around him, there was nothing but trees and grass. It was different than the field he had battled Olson on, though. He looked down at his wrist to double-check that his transformation device was still there.

"It seems like you're fully awake…" Erika, who had been sitting on a log, hopped down and sighed. "You slept for nearly six hours…that was so boring. Couldn't you have woken up any faster?"

"What happened to Olson?" He wasn't in the mood to humor whoever this lady might be.

"I utterly destroyed him." Erika tilted her head to the side. "Is that alright with you?"

Roger's eyes narrowed and he snapped up the wrist device. "Mew Mew Sonic, METAMOPHORSIS!" The air around him shuddered and warped as he changed into Mew Sonic. "I'll just have to kick the life out of you in place of him!"

"Is that so, little boy?" Tapping her chin with a nail, Erika smiled softly. "I like your attitude, but your biggest problem is that you have no way to progress as you are now. Even in the case of Mews, you can only be so compatible with the animal genetics you were given. Because of the one in a million chance that you actually were compatible with the mixture of the Ethiopian Wolf, you were granted the power to become Mew Sonic. It was pure luck, and pure luck will never win out against planned occurrences."

"What are you babbling about? Just fight!" Roaring, Mew Sonic charged at her and threw a punch. When the punch was about halfway to her, he felt his stomach lurch as he literally turned upside down and sent to the ground. ("What was that? I didn't even see her move or touch me.")

Erika kept walking away from him, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I felt a momentary flare of energy…you're so close to achieving it. I know the problem, and it makes me curious about something." She side-stepped another punch aimed for her head, and counter-attacked with a punch that sent Mew Sonic through the next thirty trees in his way. "Anyway…for you to prove yourself to me you'll have to make it to my compound in the center of this forest. At the moment, we're standing on the far edge of this forest, and the compound is…" She pointed off to the west. "That way. It will take you about three days to make it without stopping for food or resting, and that will be the best thing for you to do. Believe me, it will make you stronger."

Mew Sonic appeared next to her, fist cocked back to strike. "Die!" Then he was on the ground, clutching at his nose.

Erika pulled a small injection gun out of her pocket and kneeled down over the groaning boy. "This will only hurt for a moment." She pressed it against his arm and pressed the trigger. Standing up, she turned and walked off towards the trees. "Later. Have a pleasant time." She smirked as he was surrounded by a glow when his transformation broke down. "I just injected you with a powerful chemical solution known to destroy DNA over time. It's dangerous in that it is a slow acting chemical. In three days, more or less, you'll not only forever lose the ability to change into a Mew, but you'll probably lose most of your other physical abilities too. You'll be handicapped for life, definitely unable to fight. So hurry up and come see me. On that note, if you transform into Mew Sonic then the chemical will respond rather…" She used her hands to make the motion of something exploding. "…violently." Then she disappeared.

Roger slowly stood up, his ice-blue eyes burning with anger. "You old hag!"

-----------------------

Excelsior sat back in his chair, his eyes looking over the reports by his intelligence operatives. "Heinrich Olson, my old friend, was behind it all? That actually makes sense, considering his talents in the plant genetics field." Flipping to the next page, his jaw dropped. "Mishimiya-sensei?" He finished reading the report quickly and then he dropped it to his desk. "I see….how unfortunate that Heinrich could not have been spared…"

The man standing in front of the professor's desk cleared his throat. "After that, Mishimiya took Mew Sonic with her and said she would return him by the end of this week."

Excelsior frowned slightly at the thought of what horrible things she must have been doing to the boy by now. ("However, if he manages to survive it he will stronger for it all.")

The man continued his report. "After the others left the scene, we arrived with our clean-up crew to deal with the damage and remains of Olson so that there was no evidence of his existence. Upon searching the mansion however, we found that there was no one there. The woman who attacked the Grant family was not found at the scene."

Excelsior didn't bother to get excited about it. That woman was most likely the genetic creation of his late rival, and therefore the chances of it actually being a real problem to them in the future were low. ("He always kept his work to himself, and I can only assume that woman is in the same boat. She doesn't have any idea how the world works, so she'll most likely become a recluse we'll never hear from again. Good…that's for the best.")

The man looked at Excelsior with a grave expression on his face. "Mishimiya mentioned a new threat that was coming. What do you think it might be?"

"Who knows…" The aged man sighed. "It's such a troublesome time, isn't it? It was bad enough when we had one single Mew, but now we have four of them…" Lacing his fingers together, he laid back in his chair and looked up at the lighting of his ceiling. "Now it's gotten to a lull…we have time to prepare. I want clean-up crews ready to move around the clock, and make sure we're ready to assist the Mews in any way possible."

"Yes sir." The man saluted and walked out the door.

Excelsior heard his intercom beep. "Yes?"

"_You have a call from Shirogane, sir."_ The receptionist on the other line spoke calmly, though he could tell she didn't like having to speak with him directly. He was normally a very intimidating man.

"That's fine, just patch him through to me." Taking a deep breath, Excelsior prepared himself. This was going to take a lot of explaining.

-------------------------------

Roger grunted and held the piece of wood he had been using as a walking stick for the last few hours tighter and tighter to make sure he didn't collapse. ("You think I'm going to roll over and die? Not a chance…")

As he moved through the forest, his eyes closed and he growled in anger. ("If I could change into Mew Sonic then I'd tear that woman apart then next time I'd see her!") An image of him face-first in the dirt with smoke coming off of his body and her blowing out her hand flashed in his mind, and then he felt depressed. ("Why is it that I can never fight someone who I have a freaking chance to beat?")

---------------------------------

Erika sat back in her chair and sipper her tea. ("By now the poor kid should be near the river. Hmmm….I wonder if he'll survive.") Taking another sip of her tea, she smiled slightly in amusement. ("I wonder if he can win this little challenge…") Taking one last sip of her tea, she stood up and walked out of her living room towards her bedroom. "Oh well, may as well take a nap. If he dies, then I guess he dies!"

_To be continued…_

_And so Erika's 'plan' is apparently to leave Roger out to die in the wilderness, without the ability to transform into Mew Sonic. What is her real goal in doing this?_


	21. Tuesday

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five Elements; The American Mews

Chapter 21: Tuesday; Day of introductions between new friends and new foes

It was dark…pitch dark. It was so dark that anyone human wouldn't have been able to see their own hand in front of their face. However, that darkness was dispelled as a single ball of violet flame appeared in the air, illuminating three forms that were nearly invisible because of the shadows that still remained.

The first voice was cultured beyond compare, the perfect gentleman personified. "How goes our plans, Poison?"

A second voice, this one angry, came from the other side of the fireball. "Yes, how goes your boring research? I still can't understand why you waste so much time studying things that are so easy to break with our powers."

The third voice, calm and educated, spoke quietly. "I have concluded the following about the human beings." A green glow came from a small ball of light next to the fireball. The thing that was emitting the light was a small green beetle with a clear abdomen. "I call this little creature a Bio-Beetle. It has the ability to transform human genetics into a creature that I aptly name a Bio-Demon. This will allow us to use the human beings as our weapons in this fight."

"A Bio-Demon?" The cultured voice laughed. "How appropriate…the three Demon Lords should command such creatures, wouldn't you say Rage?"

"It's pitiful that we should be using such methods to take over this planet." The angry voice snarled. "Why can't we just destroy all of the humans ourselves? It isn't like there is anyone who can compete with our might!"

"That's where you are completely wrong." The cultured voice sighed at how foolish his compatriot always acted. "Those children…"

"…are not worth the amount of worry you place upon them, Seraph." Rage punched something and a loud cracking noise could be heard. "They couldn't even beat that doctor we had been keeping our eyes on…what makes you think they could do anything to defeat us?"

"I'm not so much worried about as much as I'm worried about the people who are backing them up." Seraph turned in the shadow and disappeared. His voice lingered in the air, an echo left by its owner. "Poison, use your own discretion and figure out a good way to use the Bio-Beetle against the Mews."

"As you wish it." Then Poison disappeared as well. Rage snarled and punched something again right before he disappeared. With one quiet puff, the fireball extinguished itself and dropped the room into darkness again.

---------------------------------

The teacher, a young man with brown hair wearing a sweater, walked up to the chalkboard and started to draw on it. "And so, the problem's root can be determined here…"

Bruce Mensing sat near the back of the classroom, his eyes looking at the board and yet looking beyond it. The last things on his mind were some math problems.

_Erika smiled slightly. "You're all Mew Mews…but it's time for you to figure out how to surpass these forms. Mew Aero, Mew Terra, Mew Pyro, Mew Sonic…all of you must lose these forms and achieve your next levels of power." Her eyes glittered slightly at the prospect. "Excelsior told me about the four of you, which is surprising considering that Mew Aero just came to be…but he was the smartest student I've ever had. Your current forms cannot surpass the high C level…but if you can surpass these physical limitations…then I promise you that B+ will be within reach. At that level, you won't be matched by anything that the known world has on it."_

Bruce sighed at that painful memory. ("So against this 'new threat' all of my training and hard work will be useless?") He looked down at his desk, looking thoroughly depressed. After his fight, if it could be called that, against Olson, he quickly figured out that all of his power couldn't possibly defeat something at B- level. If these threats were stronger than that, he was finished already unless he could figure out how to reach that next level Erika had spoken about.

Caitlyn, who was seated behind him, tapped him on the shoulder and in the middle of that motion she dropped a little folded note into his lap.

Bruce reached down cautiously and opened it, looking at the scrawled text.

_Hey Bruce, why are you slumping so much? Is something the matter?_

The boy smiled very slightly and shook his head just enough for her to notice the action. He was alright, if just depressed at the fact that his rival was gone until the end of the week. Considering it was Tuesday and he was already bored, he knew there was a long way to go.

The teacher, who had seemed to be droning on and on about the work on the board, stopped talking and motioned over to the opening doorway. "On that note, we have a new student who just moved here from back east."

The girl who walked in had long brown hair that went down the back of her neck in a ponytail, and her crystal blue eyes glittered in the sunlight coming in through the window by the front of the class. She wore a dark blue dress that fit to her slim body comfortably, and she smiled to the classroom as a whole as she walked in. "Hi there! My name's Anne Meridan, and it's a pleasure to meet all of you." She had a strange accent, her English slightly clipped.

Caitlyn smiled. ("She looks nice.") She noticed that Bruce's shoulders had slumped again. Poking him in the back, she waited for him to straighten up…but nothing happened. ("What's the matter with him?")

Bruce just stared at the girl in front of him like she was goddess walking upon earth. His eyelids drooped slightly and his cheeks began to glow red. In fact, the only thing stopping him from getting up and trying to personally introduce himself to her was a nagging little voice in the back of his head telling him not to make an idiot of himself.

Caitlyn just sat there, completely clueless as to what was going on, since she couldn't see Bruce's face.

---------------------

Poison tilted his head to the side curiously at what he was watching. Before he planned to attack these Mews, his plan was to observe their actions and figure out the best method to get rid of them. He was fifty percent certain that if he personally attacked the two sitting near each other right now, he could defeat them both…but those odds didn't appeal to him at all.

Then he noticed the look on the male's face. ("Perhaps he is suffering from some kind of fever? Or maybe…") Then he realized what was the focus of the male's attention. It was the female that had just entered the room. ("I see…he is experiencing some kind of attraction to her?") A dark smile crossed his lips and he disappeared from his spot by the window. ("I must use this information to my advantage.")

----------------------

It was lunch, and Bruce was standing against the back wall of the lunch room and watching as Anne was surrounded by many of the different 'players' of the school. ("Players…another word for sick souls who see a girl's feelings as an object to win over so they can do what they wish with it.") He growled from somewhere deep within his throat, the noise not human at all.

Caitlyn, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, whispered right into his ear. "No one's noticed it, but your ears are showing."

Bruce flushed red and slapped his hands on top of his head, feeling the furry tiger ears that were there twitch a couple of times in response to being touched. Then he noticed one of the boy's that was speaking to Anne put a hand on her shoulder.

Caitlyn eeped as she was forced to grab Bruce's collar to stop him from running up and punching the boy right in the face. Then she eeped again and grabbed his tail, which had shown itself. "Bruce!" She whispered sharply.

The boy ignored her and marched right up to the table as he realized the boys there were starting to mob her. Caitlyn eeped louder as she was dragged along for the ride.

All of the boys turned at once as they saw Bruce coming towards them. But what scared them more than that wasn't just the fact that Bruce was the only guy in school who could the almost legendary thug Roger Grant to a standstill, but also because at the moment his irises were fire-red. All at once they quickly moved out of the way and made room for him at the round table that Anne was sitting at for the lunch period.

Caitlyn yelped as Bruce sat down, the action throwing her face-first to the floor. ("Why is he acting so weird?") Though now she just wanted to smack him in the back of the head.

"Uhhh…hi!" Anne wasn't sure whether to say hello or not to the scowling guy that had just walked up, but after a few moments she remembered that some people weren't always how they seemed to be. "My name's Anne Meridan, and you are?"

Bruce immediately realized where he was and in less than a second he was smiling charmingly. "Me?" Every guy around the table leapt back as Bruce shot up one leg onto the tabletop and pointed the finger of his right hand up into the air dramatically. Everyone in the lunchroom heard the crash of his shoes, and now all eyes were on him.

Caitlyn just stood there, her right eye twitching. ("Oh no…he wouldn't do it here…")

"I am the burning passion of Johnson Junior High…" Bruce lifted his head up a little bit. "The warrior of justice…" His head lifted up just a little bit higher. "Rival to the evil Roger Grant!" Thunder crashed somewhere in the distance. "Even the rocks themselves fear my fighting prowess…" Turning to look right at her now, he bowed his head and flicked his own ponytail back over his shoulder.

A dramatic pause held over the whole room, no one making a single move.

"My name is Bruce Mensing!" A strange, almost hazy hair appeared around Bruce as his eyes turned soft and he leaned in a little bit towards Anne. "And I find it a great pleasure to meet you." He began to lean in farther, up until Caitlyn struck him with a metal chair in the side of the head and knocked him out in one hit.

Everyone in the room just sat there in silent awe, unsure what or how to respond to this.

Anne giggled and looked down at the floored Bruce. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Bruce."

The face-fall done by everyone in the lunch room shook the school's foundations.

-------------------------------

A few minutes later (after some first aid to the lump in the back of his head) Bruce was sitting next to Anne and chatting away, all of his actions seeming slightly overcharged. It was like the chair blow to his head had permanently locked him in fast forward.

Caitlyn just sat across the table and rolled her eyes as Bruce continued to tell the story of when he had completely and utterly destroyed Roger in a duel. He was making it seem like so much more than what it was, which was just a simply brawl. ("That settles it, he's trying to impress her. Luckily for her, she doesn't seem to catch the strange way he is acting. I guess she thinks this is how he always acts.")

----------------------

It was about two hours after school, and everyone had agreed to meet at the mall to discuss their new plan of attack.

Walt sighed and stirred his coffee with a little straw while he watched the crowds of people traverse through the mall. "So, where did you say Bruce is now?" He sighed and tugged on his shirt a couple of times to loosen it.

Caitlyn sighed as well. "He promised Anne that he would show her the mall this afternoon. He's around here somewhere, acting like an idiot."

Alicia smiled calmly from her seat next to him at the table in the food court of the mall. "Something getting on your nerves?" While she spoke, he could have sworn he saw a pair of fox ears perk up from her head. "Maybe you'd like to go for a walk with me?"

"And let you try to 'borrow' money off of me for clothing?" Walt took a sip of his coffee. "No thank you, I like to not waste my money on designer clothing that serves no purpose beyond looking pretty."

A small vein bulged out of Alicia's forehead and she smacked him in the side of the head, sending his chair and him to the ground. "Being fashionable is not pointless!"

From his spot on the ground, Walt replied evenly. "Hitting me doesn't convince me otherwise, you know that right?"

Caitlyn smiled slightly at how strange Roger's brother was. ("Why is he so calm? And more importantly, how does he always keep his hair perfectly straight?")

---------------------------

Poison, who was still invisible to human sight, smirked as he watched the male and the female he was interested in going about the human marketplace. ("The male seems to be in a much more agitated mood now.")

Bruce walked a fair distance from Anne, and continued to fidget. Everyone once in a while he would looked thoughtful and then turn red because of it. This whole thing ran like a date to his mind, but he knew he was just showing Anne around the mall. ("She'll need to know where all the good hang-outs are located here.")

Anne followed behind him by a few feet, giggling whenever he would trip or stumble. ("Bruce is such a weird guy, but he's funny.")

Poison smirked as he saw the perfect opportunity now. ("Now…") He held up the tiny little Bio-Beetle and whispered to it. "Listen to me, my creature. I want you to go after the girl right there…" He pointed to where Anne had been a few seconds ago, but she was gone. ("Where'd she go?") Then he saw her a little farther down the way, looking at a booth that sold windchimes. "There she is, go!" The little beetle opened its wings and shot towards her like a bullet.

"Wow, that's so pretty." Anne leaned in a little closer towards a deep blue windchime that dangled there in the air.

Bruce, in a burst of excited energy at the thought of being a nice guy and buying the windchime for Anne, literally threw himself at the booth-keeper. "How much for the whindchime?"

The man back-pedaled as the black-haired boy flew at him…and then he gasped as he saw Bruce's shoulder hit the booth. The whole thing shuddered and a pair of glass windchimes dropped from the display, hitting the ground and shattering. "HEY! Those were twenty bucks apiece, you little punk!" He reversed directions and slammed into Bruce, stopping the boy's forward movement and sending him crashing to the ground. "You better plant to buy those!"

"Oh Bruce!" Anne dropped down to the boy's side, barely noticing as something shot right above her head and landed right onto the booth-owner's chest. "Are you alright?"

The man felt cold for a moment…and then he felt hot. Not just hot…angry too…

Bruce stood up and bowed numerous times to the man. "I apologize deeply for my actions, please allow me to buy some of your fine windchimes. I'll, of course, buy the ones I just broke as well!"

The man felt his entire body fill with a burning rage. "I won't listen to your little excuses, you brat!" He punched Bruce right in the gut, and then slammed his forehead into the boy's nose, sending him head over heels into another booth. "I'll make you pay for those windchimes in your blood!"

Anne ran over the broken booth, ignoring the gathering crowd of confused passerby. "Bruce, are you alright?"

A mall security guard ran over to find out what the ruckus was all about. "Hey, what's going on here?"

The booth-owner turned to look right at the guard, his eyes blood-red. "Mind your own business…" A deep growl came from his body, like something was underneath his skin.

Poison sighed. ("What a disaster…oh well, too late now.") "Awaken child, hear the call of your master!" He whistled loudly, the noise like nails on a chalkboard.

The booth-keeper howled in pain and dropped to his knees, his entire body being swallowed up within a shroud of red light. "What's happening to me?" From within the shroud, the howls of pain grew rougher and rougher, until finally something exploded out of the shroud and crashed through what was left of the windchime booth.

It was four-legged and low to the ground, its red eyes and greenish-black hide very terrifying. But what stood out the most was the huge, almost overflowing, shell that covered its back. It was clear, and glittered like a diamond in the light of the mall.

Poison laughed at the success of his creation and pointed at where Bruce had been thrown. "Your target is there, go Diamond Armadillo!"

Roaring, the creature curled into a ball so that the shell of diamond it had covered all over it like a smooth ball. Then it launched in an insanely fast roll towards where Bruce had crashed.

Anne screamed as she realized the creature was headed right for her.

_To be continued…_

_And so the new threat reveals themselves. Who are the three Demon Lords, and what are they working towards?_


	22. Diamond Armadillo

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew, just using the world is all.

Five Elements; The American Mews

Chapter 22: Bio-Demon Diamond Armadillo

_Poison laughed at the success of his creation and pointed at where Bruce had been thrown. "Your target is there, go Diamond Armadillo!"_

_Roaring, the creature curled into a ball so that the shell of diamond it had covered all over it like a smooth ball. Then it launched in an insanely fast roll towards where Bruce had crashed._

_Anne screamed as she realized the creature was headed right for her._

Poison smiled slightly. ("This is the end for all of you…all of you humans. Diamond Armadillo is the perfect defensive weapon…he'll crush all of you in this whole structure…")

Right before the thing reached Anne, Bruce came flying out of the rubble of the booth. "HEY! That hurt you jerk!" Then he slammed shoulder-first into the creature. A loud crack noise resounded across the mall, and then Bruce was pulled underneath the creature as it rolled over him. However, his body's shape sent it slightly off course, and the Bio-Demon rolled right into a nearby store, tearing the tile of the mall up as it went.

"Bruce!" Anne knelt down next to the boy, who was already unconscious. His left arm was completely out of place, and was bent as some wrong angles in certain places. "NO!"

Poison spat onto the tile. "Amazing…even as a human he can still protect these creatures. Diamond Armadillo!"

A roar came from inside the store and the diamond roller-ball came spinning out towards Anne again.

The girl blinked as suddenly she was moving. She looked up and realized that someone had put her under their arm, with Bruce under the other. "Who are you?"

Walt gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the fact that the crazy pinball was right behind him. "That's really the last thing I'm worried about answering right now! So please just hang on and don't squirm!" He looked up at the balcony over his head and saw both Alicia and Caitlyn standing there, mouths agape. "Is this really the time to just do nothing, you two?"

--------------------------------------

Alicia glared at him and stuck out her tongue. "I was just wondering how stupid you could be to just throw yourself into harm's way like that! That's all!" She looked over at Caitlyn, who looked really hesitant. "Don't worry about it, if a push comes to a shove I'll be glad to completely take over. No one expects you to do great on your first try."

Caitlyn still looked hesitant, but finally she nodded resolutely. "Okay, let's go!"

Alicia pulled the girl over out of sight, in a little alcove located between a pair of shops. "Let's do it!" She snapped up the wrist device she had gotten from Ellen yesterday. "Mew Mew Terra, METAMOPHORSIS!" The ground around her trembled as her entire body was surrounded by a powerful cloud of dirt and dust. From within it her entire body changed at once, her clothing forming into the jeans, white under-shirt, and jacket of Mew Terra. Her eyes turned brown and her hat formed in her hand. Pulling it onto her head, she felt her fox ears and tail spring out as well.

Caitlyn looked down at the little device nervously. ("No…until Roger comes back I can't be afraid! Bruce needs my help!") "Mew Mew Aero, METAMOPHORSIS!" An explosion of greed wind leapt up around her, blowing away her clothing and instantly replacing it with the light green singer's dress of Mew Aero. The transformation continued, a pair of light green bird's wings popping out of her back, along with the tail feathers of the tiny songbird she shared genetics with. Tilting back her head, she sang out and the air wrapped around her hands and formed gloves. It swirled around her feet next, creating a pair of heeled boots. And then she opened her now green eyes and brushed back some of her green hair. ("I can't be afraid.")

---------------------

"This is not how I envisioned my day was going to be!" Walt huffed for air and kept running, Diamond Armadillo hot on his heels. "Just leave me alone, you stupid pinball!"

"What did you call me?" The Bio-Demon growled, somehow able to be heard through its shell. "For that insult I'll run over you twenty times!"

"You'll have to catch me first, you…" Walt gulped as he tripped. Even as he saw the ground rushing up to say hello, he knew he was doomed. ("I should have had something better than just coffee for a last meal…")

"Gotcha!" The glittering roller-ball bounced into the air, planning on dropping right onto the teen. "It's the end for you!" Then a pair of spiked heels slammed into it and sent it rolling back the way it had come uncontrollably.

Mew Aero and Mew Terra both landed in perfect unison between Walt and the now out of control creature.

Walt breathed a quick sigh of relief. "It took the two of you long enough, jeez."

Mew Terra turned and kicked him in the shin sharply. Then she turned and pointed at the uncurled Diamond Armadillo, ignoring Walt's muttered curses. "Hey, what gives you the right to attack people?"

"Right?" Diamond Armadillo tilted its head to the side. "What's that?"

Mew Aero sweat-dropped and then pointed right at the creature. "Regardless, I can't forgive you at all for involving these people!" She struck a rather strange pose that someone might call dramatic…maybe. "Since Mew Sonic isn't here, I'll be the one to promise to kick your ass!"

Mew Terra blinked at the other girl, and then smiled. "Yeah, what she said! Are you ready to be defeated?"

Diamond Armadillo growled and clawed at the tile floor beneath it. "Screw you both! You won't stop me from doing what I want!" Then he curled into a ball again and shot towards them both. "Just try!"

Mew Aero and Mew Terra both leapt to one side, letting the giant ball shoot past them.

Walt yelped and threw himself, the still dazed Anne, and Bruce out of the way. "Don't save us just to put us in danger again!"

Mew Terra winced unconsciously and apologized mentally to Walt, and then she drew her revolvers. "Terra…" Her eyes widened as something blurred into existence right in front of her. It looked like some kind of blue-skinned human wearing white, purple and red robes. "Who are…"

"Poison." The Demon Lord's outstretched hand unleashed a powerful blast of blue energy that slammed into the girl and sent her crashing into and through the mall's structure. "Not that it matters to you."

"It does matter." Mew Terra said from her standing position on the railing above him. "Because you won't beat me that easily."

Poison smiled calmly and placed his hands behind his back. "I won't need these to beat you."

"Is that so?" She snapped both of her revolvers up at once. "Terra Fox Storm!" A flurry of compressed air bullets exploded form the barrels of both weapons, pummeling the stone around the Demon Lord.

Poison opened his eyes as soon as the attack had ended. "What was that? Some kind of ritual you humans do right before you begin a fight?" Then he formed a dark blue spear out of thin air. "Let's begin!"

-------------------

Mew Aero ran as fast as she could through the mall, with the Diamond Armadillo right on her tail. "On second thought, I don't even know how to fight!"

"You should have thought about that before you went and made me mad!" The creature growled out and continued to roll after her, tearing up the ground with its diamond shell.

"Somebody help me!" Mew Aero yelled out as she ran for her life.

---------------------

Mew Terra landed, barely stopping herself from slipping and falling to her side as exhaustion assaulted her senses. It felt like she had been fighting for an hour, when really she had been against this guy for thirty seconds. But he moved so fast and every action and attack of his had the power in it to kill her if it connected fully. The wounds she had taken were mostly scratches and bruises luckily, so she could still fight…but at this rate winning was impossible. "What are you?"

"I'm a demon, plain and simple." Poison lifted his spear up to cut her down. "Now you die, female weakling. I thought that you were stronger, but apparently Seraph was right. No human, Mew or otherwise, can match our divine power!" Then the spear dropped towards the girl's face at a speed far beyond her ability to dodge or use her fox illusion ability.

A loud clang rang out and a few sparks floated past Mew Terra's eyes.

Poison gasped and tightened his grip on his spear as the sword that had blocked it pushed against him. "Who are you?"

Mew Terra slowly looked up from her kneeling position at whoever had come to her rescue. Before she could lock onto what they looked like, they were moving. Their elbow crashed into Poison's chin and sent the Demon Lord into an insane spin into a wall. ("Who's this?")

Her savior lowered his sword, revealing that it was a curved blade, like a scimitar almost. Now that she could see him, and she was sure it was a him, she knew something about him was special. He had a head full of golden blond hair, and his emerald eyes reflected a strange determination she had never seen before in anyone, whether they were a fighter or an artist. He wore white clothing that covered his entire body, and a white cape that draped across his shoulders. Lifting the sword up, he pointed it right at Poison. However, he didn't say anything. He just stood there in silence.

Poison grunted and stood up, snapping up the head of his spear. "I'll crush you, fool!"

The young man turned on one foot and slashed right through the spear, leaving Poison holding a piece of wood and a very small spear. "You are disarmed."

"So what?" Poison snapped up his hand and fired his energy blast right into the young man's face. "Annoying…" He froze as he felt a blade press against his neck.

The young man stood next to the Demon Lord, pressing the blade of his sword against Poison's unguarded neck. "Don't move, or I'll kill you."

Mew Terra stood up, mouth hanging open in amazement. "Who…who are you?"

"That's a good question…" Poison growled out through clenched teeth. "Who are you, interloper? Why would you interfere with us?"

"Why?" The young man's emerald eyes burned with that strange intensity. "Because you are threatening lives that have meaning to them. Everyone deserves a fair chance at love, hate, all of it! Your actions rob those chances from people."

"What kind of diluted answer is that?" Poison sucked in his breath as the sword edge pressed deeper into his neck.

"It's the answer you deserve, monster." The young man glanced at Mew Terra. "Excuse me miss…"

The girl blushed slightly. "Umm…" Miss was not something anyone ever used to identify her with. "Yes?"

"Shouldn't you go save your friend from that creature?" The question immediately brought Mew Terra back to reality, and she turned to dash towards where she had seen Mew Aero go last.

--------------------------

Mew Aero rolled out of the way as the 'pinball' shot past her again. "Don't you get dizzy ever?"

"Dizzy? What's that?" The Bio-demon turned once more and hurtled towards her like a wrecking ball. "Prepare to be crushed, annoying little brat!"

Mew Aero was about to leap, but she realized that at the angle she was standing Diamond Armadillo would go shooting into the food court if she dodged. ("Innocent people are still in there…they might get injured…") She turned and green air formed around her hand. "Aero Microphone!" The air formed into a bright green microphone that she snapped up in front of her like a baton. "Aero Barricade!" A green bubble of air formed around her right as Diamond Armadillo crashed right into it. Then there was a clash of power, but it was quickly working against her because of the fact her enemy was round. Because of this, he was using her own air energy to keep his roll going. ("I…I can't win this fight…") She closed her eyes and prayed that something would happen, that Roger would show up and save the day…

"_What did I tell you before?" He snapped his head around and screamed right in her face. "This doesn't have anything to do with you anymore! Now it has to do with me…and him." He pointed over to the small crater where Olson had finally hit the earth. Then he looked away from her defiantly._

Suddenly a large vein bulged out of her forehead. "Roger, you stupid…" The barrier strengthened. "…arrogant…" It pushed the Bio-Demon backwards rapidly. "…jerk!" With one loud scream she leapt forward, kicking the monster like it was a soccer ball. Diamond Armadillo hurtled through the air and slammed into a wall, creating a small crater from the force of the blow.

Mew Aero snapped up the Aero Microphone. "You never listen to me! And you're such a crazy loser! Why would anyone care about you?" All around her, the air shuddered and started to distort.

Diamond Armadillo unrolled, its eyes spinning in their sockets. "Whoa…whoa…whoa…stop the spinning…"

"So just go and stay with that woman for all I freaking care!" She held the microphone up to her lips. "Ribbon Aero Symphony!" Her voice went into the device, creating a powerful melody that formed into a huge crescent slash of green air that dropped down and slashed right through Diamond Armadillo. Letting out a howl of pain, the Bio-Demon disappeared in a burst of purple smoke. When the smoke cleared, the wind chime shop owner could be seen unconscious on the ground, restored to normal thanks to the Mew power used on him.

Mew Aero turned and stomped off, ignoring the applause from the people in the food court who thought that whole thing had just been some kind of show put on by the mall staff. "Stupid, lousy…no-good…"

Mew Terra just stood there in mute shock, her jacket hanging enough to reveal one of her shoulders. ("Jeez…that girl…is scary…")

--------------------------

Poison felt the drops of sweat on his forehead increase as he felt his precious Bio-Demon get destroyed. "Why are you helping…"

"You asked me that already." The young man pressed the sword just a little more into the demon's neck, watching a thin line of blue blood slide down the blade.

Mew Terra walked over slowly, one of her revolvers dangling from her index finger. "So, what should we do with blue boy?"

Mew Aero crossed her arms across her chest and sneered. "Maybe we should chase after him with a giant pinball for a little while…"

Poison growled darkly. "We'll meet again, and next time you will all die!" Then he disappeared, his whole body dispersing like a shadow.

The young man sheathed his sword and turned to go.

Mew Terra stepped forward and tugged on his cape. "Who are you? Seriously…you're incredible and we could use your help…"

"I am Mirage." The young man brushed her off of him and walked away. "We will most likely meet again…"

Mew Terra just stood there, her eyes watching the man's back up until the point he disappeared into thin air. Then she turned and came face to face with a smirking Mew Aero. "What's that look for?"

The other girl giggled. "He's a pretty cute guy, huh? Heck, he might even rival poor…" She gasped and ran off. "Walt! We forgot all about him!"

Mew Terra followed, trying to hide her blush.

They turned a corner and both blinked at what they saw.

"Hang in there Bruce…" Anne sat in the ambulance as the doors to it closed and it drove off.

"Bruce will be alright…but what about…" Mew Aero looked around the gathered crowd, eyes wide. "Walt?"

The eldest Grant was nowhere to be found.

_To be continued…_

_A new ally, Mirage, has come out to help against the threat of the Demon Lords. But what happened to Walt, and when will Roger's training finish?_


	23. Darkness Awakened

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five Elements; The American Mews

Chapter 23: Wednesday; Darkness Awakened

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

There was a loud gunshot noise and the alarm clock went silent.

Mew Terra opened her eyes slowly and groaned, right before she realized that she was still transformed. ("I was that tired?") Sitting up, she wanted to know what time it was but she had just blown her clock into tiny little pieces. ("What am I going to do now? Why was I…")

_Mew Aero collapsed to her knees, trying to draw in breath faster than normal. "Can…we…please…stop…looking?"_

"_No." Mew Terra looked out across the city from her perch on the top of one of the taller buildings downtown. "We have to find Walt. If that crazy blue-skinned monster is after him…he might be clever, but that thing was impossibly quick. He won't outsmart it, and therefore he needs our protection…"_

She pressed a hand against her forehead. ("Walt…where are you?") Her ears perked up a little as her phone started to ring. Hopping out of bed, she walked downstairs and stretched out her muscles by doing a couple of leg stretches while she was going down the staircase. Then she reached the ringing machine and picked up the receiver, holding it up to her human ear. "Hello?"

"_I knew you'd be home."_ Walt sounded shaky, but somehow he managed to keep that aura of coolness he carried like a suit of armor up while doing so. _"Sorry…to have worried you."_

"Worried me? You had me scared to death! Where are you?" Her fingers tightened on the phone, and it started to shudder as her super strength began to break its shell. "Walt, I'm going to…" There was a thud on the other end of the line. "What happened?"

"_Nothing…just fell over is all…"_ Walt's voice was strangely calm, yet at the same time she could tell he was trying to mask the fact that he was in pain. _"I…I need to go. Enjoy the free time you get since school is closed for the rest of the week. See you soon."_ Then the phone clicked off.

"Walt!" Snarling, she slammed the phone back in place and ran up to her bathroom. ("I'll hunt you down, you jerk!")

-------------------------------------------------

A single purple fireball came to life within the confines of a dark room. It shuddered and then flared up for a moment to reveal a very angry face. "Those insolent little human-scum…"

A soft snickering could be heard in the background. "What's the matter, Poison? Angry because some blond-haired pretty boy made you look like a fool?"

"Silence!" The Demon Lord snarled, the sound strangely reptilian. "I normally don't like the taste of demonic flesh, but in this case I'll make an exception if you keep pushing me Rage!"

The sound of something heavy being lifted could be heard in the background. "Anytime you want to go, lizard, I'll be happy to accommodate you."

"That's enough, both of you." The sound of shoes on the ground could be heard. "I've sensed a strange and powerful surge of energy…it's strangely dark in nature."

"You wish to have it investigated?" Poison snorted. "Send Rage, so that he can avoid meeting his end at my hands."

"I'm not going on some chase around that disgusting city just to find some vague source of dark energy…"

Seraph's boots crunched right into the stone beneath them. "I did not offer you an option in the matter, now go."

Grumbling angrily, the Demon Lord's shadowed form disappeared into the shadows.

Poison sighed. "It's something powerful. I sensed it before, but I decided not to comment on it until I was sure that I wasn't just sensing some kind of fluke. What do you think it is?"

"I'm not completely sure, but the more I think about it the more I wonder just what makes this city so special. It's filled with these mysterious people who just keep showing up and causing us more and more problems…" Seraph sighed. "It's just too troublesome."

"Indeed."

----------------------------

Walt placed the phone back on its receiver and started the painful hike down the street, clutching his chest as tightly as he possibly could. He was dirty, tired, hungry, and all in all didn't feel well, those somehow his hair remained in perfect condition regardless of the fact that the rest of him looked like it had been drug through a garbage dump. Yesterday, after the incident involving that monster, he had suddenly felt an almost unstoppable pain right in his chest. It refused to go away, and he had a slinking feeling he knew it was dangerous.

To his senses it felt like something was inside him, and something about it was wrong…

His first reaction had been to tell Alicia and then go to Excelsior's lab, or better yet go home and speak with Ellen. But then that feeling throbbed in strength as those thoughts went through his mind, and he responded by running. There wasn't anywhere he could go, since Ellen lived at his house for now. So he decided to do one of his famous disappearing acts, which when he was a child he had done constantly. ("The only people ever able to catch me were mom and dad. No offense Alicia, you'll never find me unless I wanted to be found.")

And so, using a piece of wood he had found in the alley he had slept in last night, Walt trudged in the general direction of his personal hide-out. It was a small apartment located downtown, and while it was still a few miles away, maybe he could hitch a ride. Walking it wouldn't have been a problem, but his chest burned like it was on fire, and at this rate he was sure he was going to pass out from all of the walking he was doing.

Twenty minutes later, he reached the other end of the city street and collapsed onto a bus bench, groaning in pain. Yet despite his actions, all of the people passing by paid him very little mind. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to his feet and managed to turn the corner without too much pain.

Then the stick broke, as his continuing weight on it proved to be too much for the rather flimsy piece of wood. Letting out a startled grunt, Walt crashed to the ground and let out a scream of pain despite his best efforts to avoid that. The last thing he needed was people taking pity of him just because he looked like he did.

-----------------------

Mew Terra downed another glass of milk, nearly slamming it down next to the nineteen other glasses near it. Apparently, because she had stayed in her Mew form for so long, she needed to consume a lot of nourishment to regain all of the energy she burned. And that meant she had to almost literally empty her kitchen of all food it had, because she didn't intend to change back into Alicia today, not until she found out where Walt was. ("The background to his phone call sounded like somewhere downtown, which means that's where I'll find him! Bruce is still in the hospital, and Caitlyn should be in school right now. Therefore, I'm going to have to find him on my own!")

She shot up out of her seat and ran to her front door, throwing her jacket on and hurling the door open. "I'm coming to find you, Walt!"

---------------------------

Walt sucked in air through between his clenched teeth as he tried to rest his back against the cold stone of the apartment stoop he had stopped under. ("No matter what I do, the pain won't go away. What's the matter with me, and why won't it stop hurting?") Looking up at the sky, he tried to clear the constant blurs that crossed his eyes as memories flashed through his head of his mother's face. ("She would just tell me to stop being a whiny brat and stand up, but the problem is that I can't do that right now. It doesn't just hurt…it incapacitates.")

A strange tingle ran right up his back, and he felt like he was being watched. ("What's was that?") Somehow he managed to sit up and his eyes widened as he realized there was someone standing right next to him. "Hello?"

The person was a teenage boy about the same age as Walt was, with bright fire-red hair and blazing orange-red eyes. Over his shoulder was a giant axe with a head almost longer than he was tall. "You must be the source of the disturbance Seraph talked about. Jeez, how sad is this? I'm an errand boy to find some weakling human who might…might…have some inkling of dark power that we need." Looking down at where Walt had been, he wasn't surprised at all that the boy was gone. ("You plan on getting away?") Snickering, the Demon Lord disappeared into thin air.

--------------------

Walt climbed up the fire escape of the building as quickly as he could. His entire body still burned, but considering his life was in danger he managed to live with the pain. ("If I can make it to the roof, I can use that time to call for help.") He stopped halfway up the ladder and took out his phone with one hand. Opening it, he put in the number for Alicia's cell phone…

A flash of pain shot through his body and he nearly dropped from the ladder. Though he managed to latch onto the railings, he watched as his phone dropped twenty feet into a trash dumpster underneath him. ("Damn…") Grunting, he continued to climb anyway.

Right as he reached the top of the ladder and managed to crest over it, he felt that tingling sensation in the air once more. When he landed on the roof of the skyscraper, he wasn't surprised to see Rage standing at the other end of the roof. "You won't leave me alone huh?" Sweat dripped down his red face, showing that he was truly suffering from the pain being cause to him.

Rage tapped his foot a couple of times on the ground and then started a slow approach towards the boy. "Sorry, but I can't do that. Apparently you have some kind of special power that Seraph wants, and as such I'll have to take you with me to meet him. I hope you didn't have much to live for, because if you do have this power then we'll have to kill you to get it. And if you don't, then Seraph will probably just kill you to ease his displeasure."

"He sounds like a real top-notch employer…" Walt stumbled to his feet and tried to run towards the door that would lead into the apartment building, but his legs gave out and he collapsed face-first to the warm rooftop, eyes closed in pain. ("Well, looks like this is where it ends for me. Maybe I should just throw myself off the rooftop and make sure this guy doesn't get what he wants out of me.")

Rage reached out to grab Walt by the collar, but leap back as a huge number of bullet-holes appeared in the ground around where he had been standing. "Who's there?"

A female voice spoke out, the sound seeming to come from all around them. "Allow me to introduce myself…" From the small, almost booth-like entrance that lead into the apartment, a lithe form touched down on the ground. They were facing away from both boys.

Walt just stared at Mew Terra, a huge sweat-drop hanging from the side of his head. ("What is she doing?")

"I am the trickster of the sands…" Mew Terra turned on one heel, twirling both of her revolvers by the trigger-guards around her index fingers. "When evil threatens the things I care about, I draw my guns…" A small wind blew her hat up a little bit, just enough so that she could look Rage right in the eyes. "…I am Mew Terra!" Holstering both weapons at once, she braced her legs and took a stance reminiscent of an old wild west gunslinger. "Now draw!"

Walt coughed a couple of times, and then covered his mouth to conceal the fact these coughs were coming up with blood.

Rage sighed and hefted his titanic axe like it was nothing at all. "Yeah right, that's great. Anyway, let's get this started." He leapt high into the air, the axe held up above his head. "Prepare yourself!" Then he fell within range of her and the giant weapon dropped, the axe tearing right through the small structure she was on like paper.

Mew Terra flashed into existence right behind Rage in a position that showed she was in mid-movement. Her right hand revolver was aimed right at his head, and her eyes were strangely calm. "Your weapon's too slow, regardless of your strength." Then she started to pull the trigger.

Rage's moment of surprise faded and he sneered. "Really? My Apocalypse Axe isn't meant to be fast…" His lips lifted into a dark smile as a fault appeared down the center of the whole apartment building. "It's meant to destroy." Then the entire building split in half, and an upsurge of dirt and stone shot up through the starting to collapse remains that both blinded and struck Mew Terra, stopping her from pulling the trigger of her gun.

Walt held on for dear life as he watched his half of the building approach the next apartment building. ("This is going to suck…") He coughed up some more blood, but at the moment his impairing pain was the last thing on his mind.

Mew Terra threw up her arms to try and protect her face from the stinging chips of stone, and because of that she couldn't do anything to react when Rage forcefully slammed her with the side of the Apocalypse Axe's head, which sent her flying through the sky towards a much taller nearby building.

"Alicia!" Walt screamed as he watched her shooting towards a solid brick wall at the speed of one of her compressed air bullets. ("She'll be killed!") Then he realized that Rage was right in front of him.

"Come on human, take my hand or you'll die with this whole building!" The Demon Lord held out his hand, but was completely surprised when it was smacked away. ("He wants to die?") Growling, he reached out and grabbed Walt by the wrist. Both of them disappeared and then appeared a few buildings away on another roof. "You wanted to die or something?"

Walt wished he could do something, but the pain was still too much for him. He was practically disabled. ("Alicia…please be…")

Rage froze up and slowly turned his head around to look at the other end of the rooftop. "It's you?"

A cold breeze blew through the rooftop then, throwing the cape of the lone figure that stood on the edge of it into a flurry. A pair of emerald eyes locked onto Rage's own orange-red ones. The white-robed swordsman Mirage had appeared once again. And in his arms was a bright red Mew Terra, who still was too much in shock to respond to the fact she was held in the arms of the mysterious man who had saved her yesterday.

Rage spat over the side of the rooftop and got his axe ready like how a baseball player might get their bat ready. "I'll take off your head in one chop, just to prove I'm better than that weakling Poison."

Mirage gently placed Mew Terra on the ground and drew his thin scimitar. "I will not allow you demons to do what you wish, understand?" Then they were standing in the position where the other had been, both in a stance showing they had attacked. Then Mirage sheathed his sword and turned to look at Rage, who was kneeling on the ground and trying to cover the blood wound across his chest. "Surrender now, Demon."

Rage stood up and hefted his axe, ignoring the blood he was losing. "Prepare to die!" Then the shaft of his weapon fell in half, the head of his axe slamming into the rooftop and nearly going through it.

"You have already lost. You are even weaker than the other one." Mirage placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and his eyes flashed with a strange mix of emerald and bright gold light. "And this is where you end!"

Rage gulped loudly. "Screw that!" And then he disappeared into thin air, leaving the head and shaft of his weapon behind in his hurry to avoid getting cut down.

Mew Terra slowly stood up and looked right at Mirage, her face still slightly red. "Ummm….thank you for saving me. I can't believe you came out here just for…" Then she realized that Mirage wasn't even looking at her. He was looking behind him at the hacking Walt. "Huh?"

Mirage drew his sword. "May you find peace in death, dark being." Then the blade started to drop towards the boy's head.

_To be continued…_

_And so the mysterious Mirage has appeared once more. Though his objectives seem different this time…why is he trying to kill Walt?_


	24. The full power of Darkness

Disclaimer: No I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.

Five Elements; The American Mews

Chapter 23: The full power of Darkness

_Mew Terra slowly stood up and looked right at Mirage, her face still slightly red. "Ummm….thank you for saving me. I can't believe you came out here just for…" Then she realized that Mirage wasn't even looking at her. He was looking behind him at the hacking Walt. "Huh?"_

_Mirage drew his sword. "May you find peace in death, dark being." Then the blade started to drop towards the boy's head._

Mew Terra's eyes widened in fear as she watched the blade drop in slow motion, her mind trying to find a way to increase her speed enough…

Mirage blinked as his sword struck the ground of the rooftop. "I missed him?" A mental flashback played in his head. ("He…he leapt over my head?") Spinning around, he grimaced as the black-haired boy walked over towards Mew Terra as if his life wasn't in danger. "Dark being…I'll slay you!"

Walt strolled up to Mew Terra and smiled at her. "I'm glad you came…Alicia." Then he blinked and patted himself down. "Hey, I'm okay? Wow, that was a quick recovery huh?"

Mew Terra face-fell, legs sticking up in the air. ("What the heck is with the Grant family? Are all of them superhuman?")

Mirage yelled out and charged right at Walt with his sword drawn. "I won't let you escape, dark one!"

Walt glanced behind him and then frowned. "What's with all this 'dark being' business? What did I do to you to suddenly make me the evil guy?"

"I cannot answer that, but I can sense it coming off of you like a shroud of pain." Mirage snapped the edge of his blade towards Walt's head, and barely showed any surprise when the blade hit nothing but air. Turning around, he realized that Walt was facing him now. ("Amazing…his speed is beyond mine!")

Walt narrowed his eyes, not even noticing as the irises turned blood red. "The only shroud of pain you're talking about is the one I'll drop on you unless you stop being a crazy danger…"

"You won't get away!" Mirage sheathed his sword and it started to glow with golden and emerald energy from within its sheath. "My ultimate technique, the attack that will slay your evil!"

Mew Terra just stood there, unsure who to help. ("This guy seems to be good, and he's saying something inside Walt is evil? Maybe we can figure out a way to purge it out of him?")

"I don't know what you are so hot to get out of my body, but I'll be the first to tell you that I'm not getting moved!" Then he turned his head to look right at Mirage, red eyes burning with a strange and powerful intensity that matched the emerald-eyed man's will easily. "If you're so hot to fight me, then bring it on!"

Mew Terra had never actually heard Walt say something angrily, and it sent strange shivers up her spine. ("I never knew that melodramatic guy could ever act intense. It seemed like whenever I tried to argue with him, he'd just back down and let me win. Now though…") Suddenly she realized that she was about to let Walt fight someone who had just beaten one of those mysterious demons. ("He'll get slashed to bits!") "Walt!"

"Not another word!" The black-haired boy pointed right at her, though his eyes never left Mirage's. "If you try to interfere…" He left the threat hanging and then placed his hands at his sides. "It's your move, blondie. Care to attack, or should I just go home disappointed?"

"Silence fool!" Mirage exploded into a burst of light, blinding both Mew Terra and Walt with its radiance. Less than a second later the swordsman was right behind Walt, hand around the hilt of his sword. "Hissatsu! Radiant Illusion Instance!" Then everything around him became blurry.

Walt was in mid-turn as the attack hit him. It was hundreds of sword slashes at once, too many for any one person to count the exact number. And yet it seemed like only a single slash. He felt his entire body shudder as the impact of those blows hit at once…

Mew Terra's vision came back just in time to watch Walt seem to explode into a spray of blood. "NO!"

Mirage started to sheath his sword, eyes closed. "May you find rest in…" His sentence was cut off as Walt punched him with enough force to rattle every bone in his body to the point of nearly breaking some of them.

Mew Terra gasped as Walt seemed to throw himself into Mirage, landing a single punch on the young man's jaw despite wounds that seemed to horrific to live through.

Mirage stumbled back, his entire body twisted into a partial collapse from the force of the blow. Through one eye he looked right into Walt's blood red ones, and he had to admit he was impressed. ("Despite using my best attack on him, he still had the strength to try and take me down.") A series of pops resounded from his body as his bones readjusted from the force of the punch. "However…it was all for naught. Sleep now knowing you almost took me out with that attack…" Then their eyes broke as Walt's body collapsed face-first to the ground, surrounded by a pool of his own blood.

"WALT!" Mew Terra ran towards her friend, eyes wide in fear that she had just watched the last thing he was ever going to do in this life. ("He can't be dead…no…he can't!")

Mirage wiped his cheek and then sheathed his sword, not a single drop of blood on the blade. "It was a shame. His determination was amazing, considering how outclassed he was…"

Walt's entire body shuddered and he slowly stood up, not seeming to notice the dozens of points on his body where blood was literally spraying out of him. "What was that about me being outclassed?" Then his head snapped up, teeth bared. And that revealed a pair of sharp fangs instead of normal human canines. "You won't say that when I actually land a solid hit against you!" Then he was moving, fist hurtling in to strike into and through Mirage's chest.

The blond-haired young man leapt back, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "That's proof enough that you are possessed by some kind of evil force. Considering that nothing human could live with those wounds, you must be under the control of the darkness…"

"You're so full of shit." Walt spat some blood onto the rooftop, adding to the puddle that was already around his feet. "Evil this and evil that, yet I wonder how evil you must be considering you tried to kill someone who had done nothing wrong!"

Mew Terra had stopped the moment Walt had stood up, and as per his wishes she didn't move another inch towards him. Then again, she didn't move back at all either. ("Walt…please…let me help…") But she could feel it coming from him like some of telepathic command. It was in his voice and in his stance.

("This is my fight now, regardless of circumstances.") Walt ignored the wounds that if not treated would prove fatal very soon. "Let's continue, because I really do want to land a solid hit on that pretty face of yours so I can watch it shatter."

"Don't try to bluff me." Mirage snapped up the point of his sword to point right at the teen. "That last hit took all of your effort." He smirked superiorly, right up until Walt punched at the air in front of him. Then he wasn't smirking at all as a small cut appeared on his cheek. ("He cut the air just with the pressure of the punch?")

Walt snarled darkly, his entire body seeming to bristle up in anger. "I'm sick and freaking tired of all you stupid superhuman weirdos acting like nobody is your equal! I'm not just stronger than you, but I'm more than capable of killing you if I wished!"

Mirage's face turned deadly serious. "Declare such a thing…and you are simply asking to be killed. Are you sure you want that, foolish child?"

Walt was about to punch, but suddenly he was blinded by a powerful flash of light that filled the air around him.

Mirage stood behind Walt once more, his hand around the hilt of his sword. "This is the end! Hissatsu! Radiant Illusion Instance!" Then he drew his sword out of its sheath, the world seeming to warp around the blade as it appeared to slash once through Walt. The truth became apparent as a hundred new cuts opened up on Walt's body.

Walt's head snapped back in a silent cry of pain, his eyes clouding over as he started to fall.

Mirage felt a tingle run up and down his spine. ("No, he's not beaten yet!") "Hissatsu!"

"Stop it!" Mew Terra started to run towards the two, but was blinded by another brilliant flash of light. "STOP!"

"Radiant Illusion Instance!" Mirage appeared right in front of Walt, swinging his sword once more. And then he sheathed it again and watched as Walt's body seemed to almost come apart, the muscle tissue torn and destroyed on all parts of him. ("That did it. The darkness cannot push him to fight any more. He will finally find peace in death.") Then he disappeared, appearing right between Mew Terra and Walt. "It's done, the darkness is purged and the boy's soul is free." As if on cue, Walt dropped to the ground like a ton of bricks.

Mew Terra started to run towards Walt, but was stopped by Mirage's outstretched hand. "Get out of my way!"

Mirage shook his head sadly. "He is dead, there is no doubt in my mind that is the truth. No one could survive that many of my ultimate attack. The darkness is gone, and therefore this world is not in…" She ran past him, despite what he was saying. "Fool, then go and mourn over him. His death was necessary."

Mew Terra dropped to her knees in front of the fallen Walt, eyes wide in fear. "Please…don't be dead…not Walt…" He was her best friend. He was the kind of guy that always kept his cool even in the strangest situations. No matter what ever happened around him, he'd never break down into fear.

---------------------------------------

_Alicia frowned and glared at the man in front of her. "Get out of my way. I've got business with this so-called gang boss of our school."_

_The teen in front of her, a brute at least two feet taller than her and much bigger than her crossed his arms across his chest and glowered down at the little blond-haired babe that had always been one of those annoying 'stop the bully' types ever since the school year started. "Listen, I'm not letting you in and if you keep being an annoyance I'll have no choice but to run you out of here."_

"_Run me out of here?" She smirked right at him coldly. "Just try it, you big pile of muscle."_

_The boy grabbed her by the wrist, easily blocking a kick he sensed was coming for his groin. "If you insist…"_

"_I wouldn't do that if I were you, Robert Grouwler." A voice spoke from directly behind the boy, and he froze at who that voice was associated with. "Or else you'll find that the rest of your life may involve a lot of looking behind you for gentlemen with guns…"_

_The large man slowly released Alicia's wrist and stepped aside, his entire body trembling slightly. "G…Go right in ma'am."_

_Alicia smirked and stomped into the small office, the sound of things getting thrown around coming from inside._

_Walt was back to back with Robert, his arms crossed across his chest and his eyes closed. "Wise decision. Now then, as long as you don't mention to that girl I was involved, then you'll never need to see me again."_

---------------------------

Mew Terra shook Walt's body a few times, tears in her eyes. "Please get up Walt! I'm begging you…please get up!"

"It's a waste of time, fool." Mirage turned to walk away, right up until his felt a tingling of dark energy in the air. "That cannot…" When he heard Mew Terra's gasp, he knew that wasn't the case. ("How can he still be alive?")

Walt slowly stood up, his eyes barely open and his entire body straining to hold him up. "I…I can't…allow you to do this!"

"Do what?" Mirage turned to face the boy. "Besides you, who have I hurt?"

"You hurt Alicia…." Walt's tired eyes seemed to light up with that burning intensity from before. "I…I won't forg…ive you for that!"

"Just lay down. You're dead already…" Mirage sighed and was about to strike the final blow with his sword. "I'll send you to the great beyond, so your suffering will end."

"This pain is nothing…" Walt nearly fell, but somehow managed to stay standing. "Compared…compared to what it will feel like to watch Alicia cry!" He threw back his head and screamed at the top of his lungs. "I won't let that happen!"

"I grow tired of listening to your voice. Prepare to lose your head to…" Mirage drew his sword and charged.

Walt's eyes turned blood red again. "Mew Mew Darkness, METAMOPHORSIS!" An explosion of black energy erupted around him, his entire body disappearing within it.

Mew Terra and Mirage both looked as surprised as possible as they watched the swirling ball of darkness in front of them. ("That can't be!")

From within the darkness, a voice spoke out. "You would make innocent woman cry…unforgivable!" A pair of glowing red eyes pierced the darkness like a pair of rubies with a flashlight behind them. "For your transgressions against chivalry, I'll make you pay!" The darkness collapsed to reveal a humanoid wearing a pure black suit of armor. It had a pair of bat wings on its back…and a pair of…cat ears on its head? "I am the enforcer of that chivalry! Mew Darkness!"

Mew Terra stared at what appeared to look just like Walt, if you excluded the fangs, ears and wings on his back. "W…What kind of…"

("The darkness has taken the form of something familiar to the boy, and yet something…") He wasn't sure how to even explain it to himself. ("His willpower has caused this, but what does it all mean?")

"Prepare yourself." Mew Darkness gripped the hilt of his sheathed sword, the weapon appearing much thicker than the thin blade that Mirage carried around with him.

"You won't be able to defeat my attack!" Mirage's sword became surrounded by a glowing light of emerald and gold. "Hissatsu…"

"Not this time!" Everything around them turned to night, leaving just Mew Darkness and Mirage standing with no backdrop around them. "Ribbon…" He started to draw his sword, and as he did that a soft light fell over them both. Behind and above them both was the moon, or at least some kind of energy representation of it. Then he drew his sword, holding the blade up so that both of his eyes were looking at Mirage from both sides of the blade. "…Moonlight Slash!" The whole blade flashed bright gold, and then he swung the sword, the strike leaving behind a single glowing crescent of energy that hurtled in and flashed right through Mirage.

The blond-haired swordsman stood there, his eyes wide. Then those wide eyes closed as he dropped to one knee, clutching at his chest. "We'll…we'll meet again." He faded away just like his namesake, not leaving a single trace of his existence.

As the faux darkness faded, Mew Darkness sheathed his sword and turned to look at Mew Terra. "So, did I do good?"

"You big…" Mew Terra punched him as hard as she could, eyes almost cross from her anger. "Were you staying down just to build up dramatic suspense?"

Mew Darkness' tail flicked up and moved in tandem with his voice. "Of course not! Do I seem like that kind of guy?"

"YES!" Growling, Mew Terra kicked him once and leapt off the rooftop, almost bouncing away from the entire scene.

Mew Darkness propped his head up with an elbow and sighed. "My dear Alicia, we'll always have Paris." After throwing out that pointless remark, he stood up and brushed himself off. "Well then, I guess I'd better head home and make sure that Ellen hasn't actually cleaned up too much, or else I'll never find any of my stuff." As he turned to walk away though, he smiled as he glanced back at the retreating form of Mew Terra. ("I'll always be your guardian angel Alicia, albeit a dark one.")

_To be continued…_

_And so a fifth Mew, Mew Darkness, has been created. What does all of this mean though? Shouldn't the fifth had been water? Or perhaps my view of the elements is wrong?_


End file.
